Australian Motorcyclist Issue #112 by Tony Clemenger

A NEW BREED OF SPEED

Harley-Davidson® adds performance and factory-custom style to its 2022 motorcycle line-up with the reveal of four new models, each powered by the Milwaukee-Eight® 117 powertrain, the most-powerful factory-installed engine offered by Harley-Davidson®.

The new Street Glide™ ST and Road Glide™ ST in the Grand American Touring line-up, and the Low Rider™ S and Low Rider™ ST in the Cruiser line-up, combine V-Twin muscle with tough West Coast styling influences.

Enough said, book your test ride.

WINTER GEAR

Nice, warm and toasty – the only way to be

CFMOTO 800MT

Talk about value for money!

KAWASAKI ZX-10RR

Racer special

HARLEY-DAVIDSON STREET GLIDE ST

Bagger racer for the street

BACK ROADS TO MELBOURNE

Riding the Benelli TRK 502X

PUB OF THE MONTH

Multiple pubs in England

LAND OF VINEYARDS TOUR

Now is the time to book. Let’s go!

BEST OF ITALY

Land of pizza, pasta and amore

DEAR WINTER: “ON A POSITIVE NOTE, I HAVEN’T SEEN ANY MOSQUITOS FOR WEEKS!” Stuart

EDITORIAL

NEWS

News,

WHAT

Here’s

Drinking

NEW

Have

Editor Stuart Woodbury

Contributing Editor J Peter Thoeming

Sales Manager Chris Pickett chris@ausmotorcyclist.com.au

Designers FriendsLoveDesign.com

Photographers Nick Wood Creative, Half Light Photographic

Contributors Nick Edards, Robert Lovas, Boris Mihailovic, Ralph LeavseyMoase, The Possum, Colin Whelan, Nick Wood, Bob Wozga

Editorial contactus@ausmotorcyclist.com.au

Subscription enquiries ausmotorcyclist.com.au, contactus@ausmotorcyclist.com.au

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E D I T O R S P E A K S

WELL, WHAT A MONTH has ﬂown by. The rain has ﬁnally eased (it seems) and test bikes and launches are really starting to kick along again. When I talk to our European overseas tour operators they have seen guided and self-guided tours pretty much return to normal, however the one question they have all asked is, “Where are the Australians?” It seems us Aussies are scared to travel, or have some qualms about getting back overseas on a tour? I don’t understand what would be holding Australians back – for so long there has been many voices about wanting to get back to normal and now that chance to get back to normal is on people’s doorstep, they haven’t taken it. So, I want you to tell me what your issue is with travelling overseas, and/or if you don’t have a problem wanting to travel overseas and you’re just waiting for the right tour to come along, just like our IMT Bike, Land of Vineyards tour in September this year.

The Beast (FZR1000 race bike).

Some of you will remember reading about my red 1993 Honda CBR900RR Pre Modern F1 race bike. I crashed it a handful of years ago at the PCRA One Hour Endurance race in practice. My corider Dan and I still won by over a lap but since that date the mighty CBR hasn’t turned a wheel. Life and covid knocked it all pretty much on the head, along with prioritising my time with other projects like the Katana 1100, Z900 and of course,

I kept looking at the CBR and knew that one day I’d get around to reviving it back onto the racetrack and that time is just about here (as I type). I’d bought a crashed CBR race bike with a huge dollar engine in it, so when I pulled my ﬁnger out, I took the engine to D Moto, stripped it, checked it, replaced anything that needed replacing and put it back together. In the meantime, I’d also got the fairings ﬁbreglass repaired at Handcraft Fibreglass and prepped everything for paint. The new colour I chose was of course, Red. However, I put a gold glitter over the top for a bit of bling. The engine is back in, and the bike is all back together and running, although I have one tuning issue to sort out before I take it out for a shakedown test and then advertise it for sale. Period 7 is rumoured to be coming next year and this multiwinning CBR900RR would be one of the fastest Period 7 bikes in the country. It really is a true podium getter and while some people try to claim that about their bikes, it usually isn’t the case, whereas this bike has virtually never been off the podium every time it’s raced and there aren’t many that can truly

F1 (soon to be Period 7) 1993

Just a polite ‘wave’. Ha!

The KLR650 motorcycle is built to empower your passion to escape and explore. Dual-purpose capability allows the journey to go on-and-oﬀ-road, and a reputation for enduring reliability helps you focus on the adventure at hand. For decades, this legendary motorcycle has inspired countless stories from all over the world, and the spirit to make new memories continues to beckon today.

FOG LAMPS

KLR650 (Pearl Sand Khaki)

KLR650 Adventure (Cypher Camo Gray)

A NEW SPORTSTER CHAPTER

The 2022 Harley-Davidson Nightster model starts a new chapter in the Harley-Davidson Sportster motorcycle story – a leap forward in performance and design while remaining an accessible entry point to motorcycling and the brand. This all-new motorcycle combines a classic Sportster model silhouette with the on-demand performance of the new Revolution Max 975T powertrain and a host of contemporary electronic rider aids and features. The 2022 Nightster model redeﬁnes the Sportster motorcycle experience for a new generation of riders.

JAZZ IT UP

“The Nightster is an instrument of expression and exploration, underpinned by performance” said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO of Harley-Davidson. “By building on the 65-year Sportster legacy, the Nightster provides a canvas for creativity and personalisation, offering the ultimate platform for customisation and expression for new and existing riders.”

The Nightster model arrives at authorised Harley-Davidson dealerships globally beginning in April 2022. The Australian ride away price is $23,995 (Vivid Black) and $24,300 (colour options). The New Zealand ride away price is $25,495 (Vivid Black) and $26,330 (colour options).

IT’S HERE

STRAP THIS

Rocky Creek Designs Moto Straps are Made in the USA. These straps are incredibly versatile, sturdy and a reliable means for lashing things to things.

Invented more than 30 years ago as a means of binding skis together, they have evolved into a method of securing, bundling and repairing almost anything.

UK Bodywork Specialist, Pyramid Plastics, has just launched the latest 2022 colour schemes for their Kawasaki Z900RS Fly Screens – professionally hand-painted in the UK.

Pyramid’s new colour schemes are specially designed in-house to give that OEM look and feel once installed. The latest options include the new Candytone Blue and SE model!

Pyramid also have their updated 2022 colour matched Huggers coming very soon, available in both of the latest schemes.

Pyramid’s Z900RS Fly Screen prices start at £163 RRP.

Check out Pyramid’s full Kawasaki Z900RS Range here: https://pyramid-plastics. co.uk/collections/kawasaki/bike-model_z900-rs+bike-year_2022#collection-products

Pyramid also stock the full Puig, Ermax, Customacces, GB Racing & Pro-Race ranges too – you can browse the full range on their website.

chain your straps together to get the extra length as required.

The elasticity of the polyurethane makes it easy to get things snug. The strap has a tacky texture ﬁnish, which prevents it from slipping.

Jump onto rockycreekdesigns.com.au and buy a heap.

The new Husqvarna Norden 901 has ﬁnally arrived, and we’ll be getting one very shortly to test for you. Early reports are it’s a great adventure tourer for our big brown land. Let’s see when we jump on board.

Need a longer strap? Simple daisy N E W S

The strap is made from a UV-resistant polyurethane with a little stretch in it. An aluminium buckle is moulded to the end, allowing you to fasten the strap. Two sizes are available - 56cm ($14.95) & 81.3cm ($16.95) or 22” & 32” in the old scale.

N E W S

CELEBRATION

Harley-Davidson will celebrate its 120th Anniversary by launching the Harley-Davidson Homecoming event. Harley-Davidson has also launched a 6-month global challenge, titled “The Road to Harley-Davidson Homecoming Challenge”, to kick start anniversary celebrations happening in 2023. Harley-Davidson Homecoming Event

The inaugural four-day festival event will take place at multiple venues throughout the Milwaukee area on July 13-16, 2023, and welcomes riders, enthusiasts, and fans to meet in Milwaukee for a huge annual celebration, ﬁlled with music, food and moto-culture.

“We invite everyone, riders, nonriders and fans around the world, to join us in Milwaukee next summer for the Harley-Davidson Homecoming where we will celebrate 120 years of our incredible brand,” said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO of Harley-Davidson. “This will be the ﬁrst in a series of unforgettable annual events in Milwaukee. Stay tuned for more details in coming months, and we look forward to celebrating with you in 2023.”

To ﬁnd lodging options in Milwaukee visit visitmilwaukee.org/plan-a-visit/. Camping and RV parking information is available at Wisconsin Campgrounds

SOFTLY, SOFTLY

Andy got his grubby mits on a new KLR650 and has released the, Andy Strapz’ soft pannier support frames. Highly dependent on the gods of good fortune. Once a willing owner of a new bike allows Andy’s team to get up close and personal with their pride and joy, new frame sets can be birthed (well… he was a midwife).

Weighing in at only two kilos the

wisconsincampgrounds.com. Note that most reservations are not available to book until one year in advance of event.

The Road to Harley-Davidson Homecoming Challenge

Harley-Davidson has launched “The Road to Harley-Davidson Homecoming Challenge” where riders and non-riders alike, across the world, can participate to earn virtual badges, win daily and monthly prizes and enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win a grand prize trip to Milwaukee to participate in the Homecoming event.

The Homecoming challenge aims to excite riders and non-riders with an experience that will reconnect owners with their love of riding and increase engagement with new riders. The challenge runs in three phrases (each phase lasting two months) and will feature new riding challenges and non-tracked engagements in each phase. The challenge reﬂects the rich heritage and impact of Harley-Davidson over the years and mirrors the personal relationship riders have with their cherished bike. It’s all about the brand’s legendary history, while also looking forward to the future.

Phase one of the challenge - Kickstart the Passion - runs from April 1 - May 31, 2022 and will focus on the beginning of the Harley-Davidson brand in 1903, playing

Australian made, satin black, powdercoated, mild steel frames are designed to carry the weight of throw-over bags across the seat, supporting them from contacting the wheel or mufﬂer. Naturally they reckon the best bags to use are Andy Strapz Avduro Panniers, but the frames will suit most throw over style saddlebags.

Priced at $395 plus post, jump onto andystrapz.com or call 03 9786 3445.

into riders’ ﬁrst spark with the brand. The riding challenge in this phase involves a combination of HarleyDavidson App and web activities. To participate, customers have to:

1. Download the H-D App: Download the Harley-Davidson App from the Apple App Store / Google Play store and begin logging their miles ridden.

2. Ride & Track Miles: Through the App, track every ride they take, no matter the distance. Even a short commute can count for miles if it’s done on two wheels.

3.Visit Dealerships: Check-in at Harley-Davidson authorised dealerships for more chances to win.

4.Visit H-D online: Visit H-D.com/ ride and complete weekly and monthly activities. While the activities here help ﬁll gaps between rides for riders, it also offers non-riders an opportunity to be involved and win prizes too.

Through the course of the challenge, miles will go towards a rider’s overall total points on the leader board. Nontracked engagements help to ﬁll activity gaps between rides, playing an important role in connecting on a deeper emotional level with riders by offering an outlet for their voices and opinions. In addition to mileage-based riding challenges, there are other chances for riders to collect virtual badges and enter sweepstakes for the chance to win.

The grand prize that Australia and New Zealand participants will have a chance to win will be a return trip for 2 to attend the 120th Homecoming Celebrations in Milwaukee in 2023. Terms and conditions can be found on H-D.com/ride

Details on future phases of the campaign will be released at a later date. For more information regarding The Road to HarleyDavidson Homecoming Challenge, visit H-D.com/ride

Inspired by the original Continental GT 250, our new Continental GT 650 Twin is an evolution in the line. A design icon in itself, it is an ode to the cafe racers and culture of the 50’s and 60’s

CFMOTO 800MT PACKED

THE FIRST MAJOR RELEASE of the combined CFMoto/KTM collaboration has finally been released – the 800MT, which is designed by Kiska (designer of KTM motorcycles) and is fitted with the 790 parallel twin KTM engine. It has been teased to us for a quite a while and on paper sounds like it would be an amazing adventure bike for the low price; so I headed off to Melbourne for the Australian launch, which took us up into the Victorian High Country.

Two models are available – first up is the 800MT Sport, retailing for $12,990 ride away, and the feature-packed 800MT Touring – ride away for only $14,490.

We had a perfect mix of bitumen and dirt – this included fast corners ... corrugated trails, rocky hill climbs, dusty trails, rocky water crossings ... the 800MT took the abuse with aplomb

Aside from the frame, engine, suspension and riding position, other features shared between the Sport and Touring include a seveninch TFT screen with Bluetooth connectivity, navigation function (as well as complementary App); cruise control, adjustable screen, fog lights, crash bars, luggage frames, USB and 12-volt charging and LED lights and turn signals. The Sport also has cast alloy wheels. The extra features of the Touring include wire wheels, heated grips, heated seat, cruise control, tyre pressure monitors, centrestand, up and down quickshifter, handguards, alloy bashplate and a steering damper. Keyless Start should also be part of the Touring package, however due to a global chip shortage, key start is what we get. When chip supply returns to normal, we’ll also receive the keyless version.

The 800MT has some pretty well established competition – namely the BMW F 750 GS and KTM 790

Adventure. The BMW is similarly priced, but once you start speccing it up to the level of the 800MT, it’s another three grand on top. The KTM (when the 790 was available new) was around eight grand more and didn’t have anywhere near as many features as the 800MT. So, if we work on the Touring model, the 800MT is more off-road orientated than the BMW and

Styling looks very ‘European’ to my mind. You would never suspect this to be a ‘Chinese’ motorcycle

a touch less off-road orientated than the KTM. The best of both worlds, you might be starting to think? On paper the only thing that really shows is that the 800MT is a little porkier than the BMW and KTM. For dirt riding the KTM has a 21-inch front wheel and a bit more ground clearance as a result. Compared to the BMW, the 800MT offers a larger fuel capacity at 19-litres

THE GEAR LEGENDS ARE MADE

LAUNCH LAUNCH

and much more power. So, bearing in mind the extra fuel capacity they both tip the scales almost even.

Pinched from KTM, the 799cc parallel twin engine has a heap of get up and go. More than you really need in the dirt and plenty for the road. The internals feature forged pistons and rods and DLC (Diamond Like Coating) for slippery operation. The good thing is CFMoto hasn’t just pinched the engine: it comes with Bosch electronics, Bosch fuel injection, Bosch ride-by-wire throttle and a slipper clutch. Further electronics include cornering ABS, selectable ride maps (Sport or Rain) and as mentioned above – cruise control,

plus much more.

I did find the fuelling to be a little ‘off’ at times. A little miss after longer periods of no throttle decelerating and then accelerating could be felt. It’s like the bike has been leaned off so much to pass emissions tests there’s no fuel when you go to accelerate (note: I’m exaggerating things so you know what I’m talking about). CFMoto mentioned a new map was arriving for it, and that will fix this issue. The only other option would be to put a Power Commander on and get it tuned – not a big expense in the scheme of things.

Suspension comes from KYB and both the forks and shock are high

quality, adjustable units. I was more than happy with the standard front settings, and the rear could do with a touch more preload if you were to carry a pillion and/or luggage. Even on its standard setting it will be just fine for single riders and light luggage like the accessory topbox or a seat bag, or soft panniers and the like. Mix all those things together and you’ll need a bit more preload.

During the launch we had a perfect mix of bitumen and dirt – this included fast corners, highways, rough corrugated trails, rocky hill climbs, open dusty trails, rocky water crossings and even a bit of fun on a couple of jumps

and let me tell you, the 800MT (both Sport and Touring models) took the abuse with aplomb, so rest assured the quality is certainly there. Standing in the dirt, or sitting down on smoother dirt and on the bitumen, the handling was great. There is plenty of feel on turn in and to the apex – the bikes on the launch were fitted with non-OEM Pirelli Scorpion Rally ST tyres though, which could make a difference over the standard Maxxis tyres.

Styling looks very ‘European’ to my mind. You would never suspect this to be a ‘Chinese’ motorcycle. Well, when

Ergonomics are great for long periods, with the seat being very comfortable. I did find the handlebar a little low while standing, but then again I’m a giraffe

you think about it, there really isn’t much that is, expect for the sticker on the tank. I am also extremely impressed with the fit and finish of everything on the two models, it certainly gives the impression that the homework for a top quality product has been done.

Braking is taken care of by the Brembo owned, J. Juan branded calipers. Essentially, they are a Brembo caliper, just under a different name. Good levels of power and feel are what to expect and the cornering ABS works nicely too.

Ergonomics are great for sitting in the

saddle for long periods, with the seat being very comfortable. I did find the handlebar a little low while standing, but then again I’m a giraffe. The seat is not height adjustable, but at 825mm will be great for most size riders. I am, however, not a fan of the windscreen. Despite being height adjustable, the

For the money, you cannot find as good an adventure bike with this level of features

buffeting, in no matter which position, you either had to be almost chin on the tank or standing, to not feel its effects. The effects were blurred vision if going at any speed over 100km/h and rather noticeable buffeting from 60km/h on. The fix could be as simple as one of those bolt-on lip spoilers, or you could

get someone like Eaglescreens to make you something better.

A full coloured seven-inch TFT dash with 180-degree viewing is feature packed full of everything you could want. Connect to Bluetooth, view all the info about the bike you could want, connect to Navigation, all being easy to read, even when covered in dust.

CFMoto claims it to be the largest screen in the mid-sized adventure bike class.

Accessories are well thought out with hard panniers, hard topbox, soft panniers and soft tail/seat bag, various protection pieces, wide and grippy footpegs, handlebar risers (for the giraffes), tall seat and there’s even a couple of adventure jackets and a pair of short cuff gloves to choose from!

For the money, you cannot find as good an adventure bike with this level of features. Its couple of little foibles should be easily fixed for not a lot of money, still making this the most feature packed adventure bike in this price range. Not to mention that it goes pretty well too! D

Specs

CFMOTO 800MT SPORT & TOURING

PRICE: $12,990 & $14,490 (ride away)

WARRANTY: Three years, unlimited distance

SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 10,000km or 12 months

ENGINE: 799cc liquid-cooled parallel twin cylinder, 88x65.7mm bore/stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder

POWER: 70kW @ 9000rpm

TORQUE: 77Nm @ 7500rpm

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed, wet multi-plate slipper clutch, chain ﬁnal drive

SUSPENSION: Front, 43mm inverted fork, adjustable preload, compression and rebound, travel 160mm. Rear, monoshock, adjustable preload, travel 150mm.

DIMENSIONS: Seat height 825mm, weight 231kg (wet), fuel capacity 19 litres, wheelbase 1531mm

TYRES: Front, 110/80/R19. Rear, 150/70/R17

BRAKES: Front, twin 320mm discs with radial fourpiston cornering ABS calipers. Rear, 260mm disc, twopiston cornering ABS caliper.

FUEL CONSUMPTION: N/A

THEORETICAL RANGE: N/A

COLOURS: Nebula Black, Twilight Blue

VERDICT: You won’t ﬁnd better for the money

T E C H N I C A L

“Every time it rains it rains, Potholes from heaven…”

WHAT A SHOWER

Let me see if I’ve got this right. Rain is a regular occurrence, or at least we hope so. Now when it rains, our roads dissolve into potholes. There are standards to which roads are constructed, but it seems that the standards don’t concern themselves with the above fact. Would it not be better, and possibly more cost effective, to construct

roads in such a way that they don’t dissolve into potholes at the sight of a bit of water falling out of the sky?

I’m not complaining or criticising anyone. Just wondering. Seeing that some of the money used to build and then endlessly ﬁx our roads comes from my taxes, you know. Does anyone have any ideas about this?

WORDS / PHOTO THE BEAR

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TOUR TEST

ILIKE BACK ROADS, AND recent weather and restrictions have made it difficult for me to scratch that particular itch. Came a Benelli that needed to be returned to Melbourne from Sydney, along with a bit of a break in the weather and looser plague restrictions, and my hand went up faster than I thought I could manage it. Out with the maps – naturally my HEMA Motorcycle Atlas – and a quick combination of road and as much gravel as I could find along the way provided a two-day ride. Not being given to deep thought, I had forgotten that we had had quite a bit of rain (how can you forget something like that?) and the tarred roads turned out to be just as much of a challenge as the gravel with outrageous potholes. Some of the gravel had turned into mud, as well. All in the interest of science!

The route was simple. Sydney to Nowra, then the Braidwood road to, er, Braidwood and on along the Cooma Road to I-bet-you-know-where. On that mostly gravel stretch I pencilled in Countegany to Nimmitabel over some gritty farm roads, but abandoned that when it started to rain. Up to Kiandra and then down to Corryong on tar, the Benambra Road on mostly gravel and then Omeo to Bairnsdale and on to Melbourne on the Princes Highway.

The scene is set, now to the bike.

A 499.6cc twin cylinder four-valve engine putting out 35kW at 8500rpm is enough for an adventure bike, even if it weighs (a claimed) 213kg dry.

Well, it is enough if you’re riding solo, but with luggage, and are not too ambitious about overtaking. Hills will often benefit from a change back one gear, rarely more unless you’re on a challenging and steep gravel road. If you intend to travel two up for long

distances, you might be advised to buy a bigger engine in a lighter package. Pillions don’t just add their own weight, there’s all their luggage too. As for overtaking: pick your timing.

Despite the modest engine displacement, this is a full-sized motorcycle with a 19” front wheel.

A 499.6cc twin cylinder four-valve engine putting out 35kW at 8500rpm is enough for an adventure bike, even if it weighs (a claimed) 213kg dry

I wonder whether it is perhaps too much of a full-sized motorcycle. A larger engine in this traditional Benelli frame would remove some people’s reservations, and a lighter, smaller frame with the same engine would do the same thing. I suspect we will see a larger engine in this frame, possibly even quite soon. Unfortunately, I have no Deep Throats in either the Italian or Chinese camps. Oh, and 20 litres is a good size for the tank which should take you about 480km.

The ride away price of $10,690 is pretty much spot on. That’s a little cheaper than a KLR650 Adventure ($9999 plus on-roads) but you get switchgear backlit in blue! Yeah, well, it may not mean anything to you, but I loved it. Seriously, though, the bike certainly appears to be well and strongly made and feels solid even after a 300km pounding over gravel roads of mixed quality. It would be nice if you got panniers, as you do on the KLR, but seeing this is promoted as an adventure bike you would want aluminium rather than plastic boxes anyway. Full luggage

is available. Yes, the TRK 502X is comfortable for all-day rides on both sealed roads and bush tracks. The rider triangle is spot-on for someone like me at 183cm, and the seat is well padded and well-shaped. It could perhaps be a little narrower at the front for shorter folk so it’s easier for them to get their feet flat onto the

ground. The windscreen is small but useful. I have spent quite a bit of time lately complaining about difficulties getting my leg over (bikes) but I suspect that the reason may lie with arthritis rather than altitude. Standing up on the pegs is possible but they are a little too far forward for this to be a natural position. No problem, really, because

you won’t be standing up for long periods anyway. It’s an adventure bike, not a dirt bike. Tyres are tubed, which I know some people like. I don’t.

And finally, the suspension is up to scratch. As I mentioned above, recent rains have played absolute hob with the road surfaces and being out on the country there hasn’t been time to fix them. Several potholes I encountered and fortunately avoided would easily have been axle deep. The main problem was that many groups? sets? bunches? of potholes were spread right across the road, meaning that at 100 or 110km/h I could neither slow down enough or avoid them entirely. The bike’s suspension impressed me every time, especially the hefty 50mm upsidedown front fork. This is rare for the suspension on most bikes as it comes out of the box.

I suspect that any reservations about the bike, apart from the reservations about the power that I’ve mentioned above, would hinge on two things. One, it looks like every other adventure bike

on the market. That can be good, but for any manufacturer it is important to pull your offering out of the mob somehow.

Thing Two is probably less obvious but nevertheless important. It is the continuing reluctance of motorcyclists, be they adventure riders or whatever, to buy Chinese-made bikes. The weird thing here is that we often don’t even

know how much of any bike comes from China. There is certainly less reason than ever to worry about build quality: all it takes is for someone to enforce European quality standards. It seems to me that this is being done with the TRK.

Would I take any more trips on one of these? Yes, happily. D

POMMIE LAND Quadruple

“I don’t have to exaggerate, ain’t

RATED 4 OUT OF 5 HELMETS

IN JULY 1978 ROLLING Stone

Magazine published an article by Robert Sabbag titled, “The Gospel According to FATS”. It was based around the epic green-felt faceoff at the Waldorf Astoria between Willie Mosconi and Rudolf Walter Wanderone, who - since the release some 15 years earlier of Robert Rossen’s ﬁlm of the Walter Tevis book ‘The Hustler’ – had changed his moniker to that of one of the novel’s characters, ‘Minnesota Fats’.

It was a cracking word portrait of the greatest sporting hustler of all time and a perfect adjunct to my Pelican copy of Ned Polsky’s “Hustlers, Beats and Others” which I’d bought new (for $1.20) nine years earlier.

The article’s opening page carried that quote from ‘Fats’ as an 80 point breakout.

As I did then, and as I do now, I clipped that article and both it and the book are sitting on the desk as I write this gibber about four English

pubs which all have a few things in common:

Firstly, they’re all great experiences - fantastic must-visit places for any rider who’s even slightly interested in old, character-ﬁlled storied pubs. They stand on their merits as current day wonders.

Bingley Arms

Church Ln, Bardsey, Leeds LS17 9DR www.bingleyarms.com

E: info@bingleyarms.com

No accommodation. Staffed by knowledgeable, interested professionals. Tastefully renovated, serving very good food. Truly memorable.

90/100 for unique character

and doctoring. Just why’s a mystery. They don’t need it! So, pull me a pint of Real with a kicker of the unreal and let’s get started.

The Bingley Arms, Bardsey, Yorkshire

Fifteen minutes before scheduled opening time, as I’m outside getting some images, a voice calls out that she’s unlocked the door and I can come in from the cold whenever I’m ready.

So happens that each one of ‘em also claims to be the oldest in England. But as if that’s not enough, they all also bullshit about events in their past – exaggerating, fabricating, inventing

Up the old stairs, past the very small bar and I’m into far more expansive bright and airy lounge/dining/bar. I settle into a seat at a low table in front of the unlit ﬁreplace now featuring a combustion heater and Catherine, who’s just served me a pint, comes over.

Will I be eating? Ah, so I can order food at the bar, oh and I’m going to be more comfortable at a higher table

RATED 4 OUT OF 5 HELMETS

IN JULY 1978 ROLLING Stone

The article’s opening page carried that quote from ‘Fats’ as an 80 point breakout.

As I did then, and as I do now, I clipped that article and both it and the book are sitting on the desk as I write this gibber about four English

pubs which all have a few things in common:

Bingley Arms

Church Ln, Bardsey, Leeds LS17 9DR www.bingleyarms.com E: info@bingleyarms.com

No accommodation. Staffed by knowledgeable, interested professionals. Tastefully renovated, serving very good food. Truly memorable. 90/100 for unique character

and doctoring. Just why’s a mystery. They don’t need it! So, pull me a pint of Real with a kicker of the unreal and let’s get started.

The Bingley Arms, Bardsey, Yorkshire

Fifteen minutes before scheduled opening time, as I’m outside getting some images, a voice calls out that she’s unlocked the door and I can come in from the cold whenever I’m ready.

So happens that each one of ‘em also claims to be the oldest in England. But as if that’s not enough, they all also bullshit about events in their past – exaggerating, fabricating, inventing

Will I be eating? Ah, so I can order food at the bar, oh and I’m going to be more comfortable at a higher table

just over there. It’s just as cozy and besides, they won’t be lighting the ﬁre for a while yet? She’ll explain why in just a bit.

Not ﬁve minutes later – right on ofﬁcial opening time, old Vic is Catherine’s next customer. She’s already pouring by the time he fronts, pays and retreats to…the exact same seat I’d originally been in.

Smooth as silk, this master of her craft has made me feel more at home and ensured that a (very) regular’s pew is free when he shufﬂes in.

Sue, who was christened in the local church and who’s lived in Bardsey most of her life is Cath’s workmate this morning, comes over. She retired from the medial game 5 years back and thought working here would keep her involved in the community and can she take me on a tour?

In behind the unlit ﬁre and look up... This place’s original name was the Priests Inn and in the wide chimney are two priest holes –

places where priests from the local church could hide during times of religious persecution. These were equal opportunity hiding places –protestant priests hid in them when the Catholics were in power and Catholic clergy secreted (if that is the appropriate term) themselves in them when the reformationists held sway.

A few pubs built in the 1500’s have one of these in their chimneys but having two is rare. (Oh, and they prove impossible to photograph meaningfully.)

Then it’s down through the tap room with another massive ﬁreplace and a pair of Dutch ovens, past the full suit of armor and then to the cellar with its now sadly boardered-up secret tunnel up to the church.

Followed by an oven-baked honey infused camembert with home-made onion relish served on a rectangle of Welsh slate. Just about the best bar snack I’ve ever had.

The pub’s ﬂyer states that this place dates back to 953AD, and at the foot it notes the hotel’s “recorded in the Doomsday Book”. Now, that’d be some effort! The West Yorkshire Sites and Monuments body is certain it dates only from the 18th century, around 800 years AFTER the DB was written in 1086.

The church certainly is mentioned, but this tome is also beside me as I write and there’s not a single pub, inn, tavern, alehouse or hotel mentioned on any of its 1500 pages.

No matter, it’s a hugely enjoyable pub. Service, décor, comfort, histories, food. By all means ride out across the moors but make time to visit this place. You’ll thank me.

RATED 5 OUT OF 5 HELMETS

Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem

1 Brewhouse Yard, Nottingham, NG1 6AD

FB:Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem

Unique. No accommodation (just 5 minutes from a Premier Inn). Bike friendly and aware, run by a passionate manager and young staff. Filled with interested locals. 100/100 for unique character

Carved into the sandstone under Nottingham Castle this place is a network of caves and dungeons.

Simply the best spelunking you’re ever going to do.

Unless the Turks have opened some extraordinary pub inside a Goreme cone since I was there in 1972, there is simply no pub like this one. Anywhere.

Carved into the sandstone under Nottingham Castle this place is an extraordinary network of caves and dungeons. In the hands of Karl, one of the most passionate and driven publicans I’ve come across for ages, this is a true experience.

From the real horn tip still used for the Hook the Bull game in the Ward Room, to the Cursed Galleon (now behind glass) which has not been dusted for a couple of centuries (it would be bad luck apparently), to the seemingly endless nook caves each on its own level and back to a more, er, normal room adjacent to the bar, this place is wonderful.

Local riders ‘hold church’ as Karl puts it, here each Sunday and in summer the tables outside - beside the A-frame rejoicing that you’ve found “England’s Oldest Pub, in existence since 1189” - overﬂow.

So switch on your speleology mode and shove aside a ﬁstful of inconvenient truths – things like the

that the pub wasn’t built until around 1680, and that it only changed its name to “The Trip” ﬁve centuries after the Crusades were over.

But what IS true is that this is a pub you won’t forget. A network of caves, nooks and crannies, biker-friendly and run by a master of his craft, staffed by well-trained youngsters and populated by a disparate bunch of friendly locals.

My ﬁnd of the year.

The Porch House Stow-on-the-Wold

Originally, and sporadically since, known as “The Royalist”, this one is the most vociferous in its claims to being the oldest Pommie Pub. Plaques, Blackboard A-Frames, its website, FB page, hanging sign – all pushing their plea to be the most ancient.

The year they’ve lumped for is 947AD which is around when (again they claim) Saxon Duke Aethelmar founded a hospice in the village to shelter lepers.

There’s zero evidence, let alone proof, the hospice was on this particular site although something existed here. In 1615 it was turned into a family home, and since a porch was added, its name was changed to ‘Porch House’.

Pretty smart move to get rid of “The Royalist” seeing as 30 years later 200 Royalists were slaughtered in this

PUB OF THE MONTH RATED 4 OUT OF 5 HELMETS

The Porch House

1 Digbeth St, Stow-on-the-Wold, GL54 1BN www.porch-house.co.uk E: info@porch-house.co.uk

Beautiful old pub just off the market-town square. Thirteen beautifully restored country-feel accommodation rooms with off-street but uncovered parking. Surrounded by great riding roads through the Cotswolds. 85/100 for unique character

beautiful olde market town’s square and another 1500 imprisoned in the church in the ﬁnal battle of the ﬁrst English Civil War.

Earliest possible date for it being a pub is when its name became the ‘Eagle and Child’ in the 18th century and at some stage it reverted to being ‘The Royalist’ and became a pub and then changed its name back to “Porch House” in 2013 after a major reﬁt. Sheesh, I’ve known opal scratchers who change their name less often.

Core of the antiquity claims is some radio-carbon dating of the pub’s current beams which indicated they were cut around 1000 AD. Just how this means the place was a pub back then is ignored.

And whilst there’re markings cut into the sandstone around the ﬁreplace in the front bar that are allegedly witches marks, the extensive food menu has no broth featuring eye

of newt, toe of frog, or even tongue of dog.

This is another pub that employs experienced, knowledgeable staff, who know their trade and the pub, and are happy to share. The refurb has kept its character while adding modern comforts which didn’t include raising the ceilings so watch your head.

And when you’re kicking back in one of the nooks, under the extraordinary ceiling beams, patting the endless stream of dogs that seem to come in, enjoying a quality meal in a great atmosphere, the specious claims of antiquity, don’t really amount to diddly squat.

And that’s bloody ﬁtting! Because just an easy 10 mile ride east of here is the Diddly Squat Farm, made famous by the Top Gear crew. A selﬁe out front of its sign is a must – as is a visit to the nearby time-warp villages of Upper and Lower Slaughter.

RATED 3 OUT OF 5 HELMETS

Ye Olde Ferry Boat

1 Holywell, St Ives, Cambridgeshire, PE27 4TG

Best setting of these four, abutting the river and in a stunning village. Beer garden would be perfect on a sunny day, though the staff seem uninterested.

Accommodation is a variety of singles, mini-doubles and doubles at reasonable rates. Off-street by uncovered parking. Food and drink are served from 7am until 10pm every day - very civilized. Perfectly suited for a midday ride break.

80/100 for unique character

Ye Olde Ferry Boat Holywell

Beautiful pub in a postcard village, gorgeous setting beside a picturesque stretch of the River Ouse, massive beer garden for when it’s warmer, very good food (try the mussels) – if only the young staff were better trained and educated in the stories of this historic place.

Its claims to being around since 560 are bollocks - probably around 1000 years out, but it was extended at one stage around the grave of a local girl Juliet Tewsley who, because she’d suicided, was refused burial at the local church – where the Holy Well that gave the name to this village is still accessible.

The grave’s ledger stone is now in the ﬂoor of the river-facing bar and her ghost comes by each year of the anniversary of her March 27th demise. To add to the atmosphere a piss-taking local runs around the joint in a sheet.

The ferry which gave the pub its name, no longer runs. Pity. Its most famous passenger, Hereward the Wake (who IS mentioned in the Doomsday Book) used it to escape from William the Conqueror and any bloke whose battle cry was “I’m Hereward the

Berserker” and who walked away after slaying 15 pissed Normans on his own, deserves some sort of shrine!

Ye Olde Ferry Boat’s village is in a cul-de-sac thatched village, on the road to nowhere. But make the detour and make this stunning, white-washed pub your destination. It is a stunner.

Turned out of course that Minnesota Fats lived by an even more central maxim, the rule of politicians and other swindlers

everywhere: Once you can fake sincerity, the rest comes easy. He set the benchmark for exaggeration, distortion, braggadocio, self-promotion, self-aggrandizement and straight-out lies, but at least he didn’t waste time settling for a life-sized life. He sure was a clumsy juggler of the truth but he was never dull, always entertaining, hospital, colourful and memorable. Would’ve been right at home racking up in these four pubs. D

HOT TIPS

The history and development of English hotels has always been more segmented than Australia’s with more demarcation between alehouses, inns, taverns, hotels and pubs, and this has meant that far fewer pubs have accommodation.

And those that do, tend to be expensive. The saviors for me are two ubiquitous chains: Premier Inn (Premierinn.com) and Travelodge (travelodge.co.uk) each of which has places on the edges of most towns and cities, (certainly near each of these pubs). All have CCTV in their (non-undercover) carparks and they offer rooms at way lower rates.

Premier Inn is my preferred option down to their comfortable beds and £9.50 breakfasts.

Most price tags, from beers to fuel have the same numbers as home only being in Sterling, that makes everything close to twice the cost. So I’ve not made value judgements on these.

Also: UK postcodes are more speciﬁc than ours and so just input the exact code into your GPS and you’ll be led to the door.

REMEMBER WHEN MANUFACTURERS HAD to produce 500 bikes for that model to be raced legally? Super trick bikes would be (sometimes) secretly released onto the ‘market’, when in fact they were already pre-sold to race teams around the world, or to those in the know. Well, it seems the same rule still applies, but you can actually purchase one of these super special models off the showroom ﬂoor. Kawasaki released the 500-unit worldwide ZX-10RR last year –basically a ‘production’ race bike. For 2022 the RR is unchanged and after riding it at Sydney Motorsport Park courtesy of the great folk at Sydney Motorsport Park Ride Days, I can tell you that all you really need to do to go racing is chuck some slicks on it, a race fairing and away you go!

From the ‘standard’ ZX-10R to the ZX-10RR the Kawasaki engineers have teamed up with Pankl for some titanium conrods and lightweight pistons. Further improvements include larger camshafts, revised valve springs and a higher rev limit up from 14,300 to 14,700rpm. You also get Marchesini forged alloy lightweight wheels and Pirelli Supercorsa SP tyres.

I remember pricing some titanium Pankl conrods for the FZR1000 race bike and they were something like $1500-$2000 each! The pistons are probably $2-3000 a set, then you have the camshafts, wheels and so on which escalates the price real quick! So when you read the $42,000 price tag, it’s not Kawasaki asking more than they should.

The titanium rods weigh 102 grams less each, and the lighter connecting rods contribute to reducing the crankshaft’s moment of inertia by 5%. In addition to beneﬁting engine response and handling, this makes it much easier for you to weight the front wheel on corner entry and I did ﬁnd I could brake quite late and load the front tyre up into corners.

Pankl lightweight pistons save 20 grams each. The lower reciprocating weight aids in achieving the higher rev limit and contributes to smooth climbing (faster) revs. The pistons also use one less piston ring than the standard model pistons, enabling a lesser piston height (33.7 mm) and

reducing mechanical loss due to friction. Piston pins are matched to the pistons and feature a DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) coating to protect against wear.

For the RR, eliminating the intake funnels in the airbox (previously 10-30-30-10 mm) creates an effective height of 5-5-5-5 mm, contributing to high-rpm performance. In case you didn’t know, longer intake funnels, (or velocity stacks) give more torque, whereas shorter funnels give higher rpm performance.

All of these performance enhancing parts, on paper, give the RR a claimed 1hp, or 0.7kW over the standard ZX10R. Now, you might be wondering why all of this has been done and I’ve been told that it’s not until you put a race exhaust on it that the true

potential is revealed. The standard road legal exhaust snuffs all that extra power to meet emissions. 150kW though is nothing to sneeze at and with ram-air, Kawasaki claim 157.5kW! Fit a race exhaust and I would expect another 10-20hp (7.5 – 15kW) on top of the quoted ﬁgures. Now you’re talking an out of body experience in terms of speed!

On the track I found the braking was one area I was a lot faster than just about anyone else out there on their current race bikes with slicks.

The massive 330mm discs with the latest Brembo M50 calipers are simply awesome. One thing I did notice from riding the standard ZX-10R versus the RR was a more direct feeling from the front brake. The RR does come with braided brake lines, so this could be

the reason.

My ﬁrst session on the RR, I left the more reﬁned suspension settings (versus the ZX-10R) on their out-ofthe-box settings. For my weight and riding style I did need one turn of preload and one turn of compression on the front Showa BFF (Balance Free Front fork) which helped keep things more in check while braking hard into corners. On the rear I ran full compression and one turn of rebound. I didn’t have my tools with me to change preload, but for me, I would need a heavier spring to get the control I’d want.

My mate, Marc came with me to the track day at SMSP and while sitting there between sessions he asked me what the “red tube thingy” was sticking up from the back of the

forks and it got me thinking there’s probably quite a few of you thinking the same thing. It’s an External Compression Chamber containing pressurised nitrogen gas, which helps to manage the pressure increases in the Damping Force Chamber, enabling very stable pressure increases, which ensures consistent damping force generation. The way I described it was it equalises the gas in the forks for smoother operation – I guess that’s sort of right!

The ﬁtment of 7-spoke multidirectional forged aluminium wheels specially developed by Marchesini contribute to lighter handling –especially when changing direction. If you’ve never ridden a bike with lightweight wheels the change in handling is enormous, especially much

faster turn in. The Marchesini wheels fitted to the RR offer a balance of high rigidity and a significantly reduced moment of inertia (thanks to a design that centralises mass at the hubs). The machined finish contributes to their high-quality appearance.

If you read my review on the ZX-10R back in issue #99 you will have read the features that come standard. The ones that have been shared between the R and RR include cruise control, three standard rider modes: Sport, Road, Rain; and the customisable Rider modes; 5 levels of traction control and off; adjustable engine braking and off (which I preferred to be off); up and down quickshifter; Ohlins electronic steering damper; supersport grade ABS system which includes cornering

ABS; launch control and the super compact 4.3 inch full colour TFT dash. You can run the screen in one of two options – essentially a road screen or a track screen which shows lap times and the like. The screen can also run as a black or white background depending on your preference. There’s also the ability to connect to the Kawasaki Rideology app where you can view loads of info and even change settings from your phone between sessions or while off the bike having a coffee.

The RR also shares the new generation fairing with inbuilt wings and the large ram-air intake. The winglets are designed to assist in keeping the front wheel on the ground on corner exits and hard acceleration – I struggled to keep the front wheel

Specs

KAWASAKI ZX-10RR

MODEL: Kawasaki ZX-10RR

PRICE: $42,000 (ride away)

WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance

SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 12,000km or 12 months

ENGINE: 998cc liquid-cooled in-line four cylinder, 76x55mm bore/ stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder

POWER: 150kW @ 14,000rpm

TORQUE: 111.8Nm @ 11,700rpm

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed, wet multi-plate slipper clutch, chain ﬁnal drive

SUSPENSION: Front, 43mm inverted fork, adjustable preload, compression and rebound, travel 120mm. Rear, monoshock, adjustable preload, compression and rebound, travel 115mm.

DIMENSIONS: Seat height 835mm, weight 205kg (wet), fuel capacity 17 litres, wheelbase 1450mm

TYRES: Front, 120/70/ZR17. Rear, 190/55/ZR17

BRAKES: Front, twin 330mm discs with radial four-piston calipers. Rear, 220mm disc, single-piston caliper.

FUEL CONSUMPTION: N/A

THEORETICAL RANGE: N/A

COLOURS: Lime Green

VERDICT: Green is the new Black

on the ground most of the time, so imagine if the winglets weren’t there, I’d be a stunt rider! The fairing design also allows any sized rider to beneﬁt from less drag along the straights. Even my giraffe sized frame could get tucked in behind the screen and I can’t say that about any other current litre bike, oh, except the standard ZX-10R of course!

There are two reasons why you’d be buying the ZX-10RR. One is to go racing, two is because of its exclusivity. If you’re going to go racing, there are race kit parts Kawasaki can provide. They include a race kit ECU with the ability to modify fuel and ignition maps. The race kit ECU also enables more detailed settings in the following areas, among others:

- For each of S-KTRC’s 5 modes, traction control and wheel lift control (usually linked) can be adjusted independently

- Kawasaki Engine Brake Control settings can be adjusted for each individual gear

- Output to the electronic steering damper can be disabled to allow the use of a mechanical steering damper.

Note: Race kit wiring harness must also be ﬁtted.

Offset steering head collars: allow the steering stem position to be adjusted +/-4 mm forward/backward from the standard position (Standard: +0 mm). Other collars enable the caster angle to be adjusted.

Offset swingarm pivot collars allow the swingarm pivot position to be adjusted +/-1 mm up/down from the centre position (Standard: +0 mm).

Other race kit engine parts include alternative thickness head gaskets; oil catch tank; chain tensioner; connecting rod and crankshaft journal bearings (4 thicknesses available); clutch; gears and engine cover gaskets.

Other race kit chassis parts include: chain guard; alternate/replacement fork springs; rear ride height spacers and race wiring harness.

If you’re a serious track day punter, or need the latest and greatest bike for racing, it’s hard to look past one of the 500-worldwide examples of Kawasaki’s ZX-10RR. This bike has it all – show – with that mega bright Lime Green paintwork, and go – with ballistic performance. D

Bathurst back roads

A BIT OF EVERYTHING 2

WORDS / PHOTOS THE BEAR

AFEW YEARS AGO

(ACTUALLY, A FEW decades now that I think of it) I was on a ride with the late lamented Jeremy Bowdler. We were taking the back way from Sydney down to Holbrook – the very back way –and I encountered a causeway on a gravel road near Rockley. The stream was muddy and looked about three inches deep, and I braked and then accelerated gently when both wheels of the BMW R 100 RT I was riding were in the water.

The bike went into a tank slapper and I went over the windscreen, stopping just long enough to break my collarbone. Those RT windscreens were tough! Jeremy parked before the causeway and nearly fell as he slipped when walking over to me. The concrete was covered in a layer of green slime. I got a ride in an ambulance to Bathurst Base Hospital and a charge of careless driving.

Why am I telling you this? Well, I encountered the very same causeway when researching this story. It still has that green slime growing in it. You have been warned.

As you have probably realised, this map is different from our usual straightforward recommendations and clear explanations. It describes a highly variable route: while only a very short stretch of it is freeway (and none is tollway) it includes a lot of two-lane country roads, some single lane blacktop, single-lane gravel and a little bit of gravel farm track. There is even a little dirt, and the quality of the surfaces varies considerably. Despite that, in my opinion, it

is all manageable on any road bike, including a big cruiser (but see note about rain on the back of the map).

If you’re coming from Sydney, it is probably best done as a two-day ride. I did the research run on my BMW F 750 GS which, for now, has road tyres on it.

There are a couple of reasons for my choice of this route. For one, it

BATHURST BACK ROADS

Here’s a quick description of the route to go with the map. The ride begins and ends at The Lithgow Tin Shed, so you can have an outstanding meal before and after the ride. Head out to the Great Western Highway and turn left before turning right into Magpie Hollow Road in South Bowenfels. Continue until you reach Tarana. The pub, which has one of the best beer gardens I have ever found in Australia, seems to be closed at odd times, and the little coffee shop across the road is being refurbished as I write this. Carry on straight ahead on Tarana Road This will take you over something like half a dozen one-way railway bridges. Turn left at O’Connell Road and right just as you come into O’Connell into Beaconsﬁeld Road. Eventually you will come to an odd five-way corner; turn right into Sewells Creek Road. Make sure you stay on Sewells Creek Road: there are some odd intersections. At the final T intersection with Lagoon Road, turn left. The causeway mentioned above is where Lagoon Road crosses Peppers Creek. At the T intersection just past that, turn right into Burraga Road which takes you into Rockley. The main attraction is the pub, which is owned by celebrity chef Matt Moran and run by Simon who used to work for Ducati. Turn left at the pub and head for Trunkey Creek by way of Triangle Flat. At the final T intersection turn left and continue to the Black Stump Hotel which is just a nice little country pub. Do a U-ey and stay left to head north on Hobbys Yard Road. Turn left at the sign to Neville and then right to Blayney. Alternatively turn left at Neville towards Mandurama, from whence the MidWestern Highway will take you past pretty little Carcoar, well worth a stop, before you get to Blayney. Once in Blayney, turn north for Millthorpe – a sweet little kind-of historic settlement with a big pub – and on to Orange via Spring Hill.

Road, on the right. It becomes Gowan Road, then

right again into Haans Road. You’ll get to… you guessed it! Another T intersection with Razorback Road

From Orange, take Ophir Road north to the turnoff into Lower Lewis Ponds

Freemantle Road into and through Eglinton on the outskirts of Bathurst. Once again, you’ll end up at a T intersection. Turn left into Sofala Road and then right into Pymonts Lane in Peel. At another T intersection turn left into Limekilns Road and follow that until it rejoins Sofala Road at Wattle Flat Continue past Sofala. Turn right into Tara Loop Road, then

Turn left and you will eventually reach the Castlereagh Highway. Turn left at Lidsdale into Wolgan Road, follow that to the Blackfellows Hand Trail and turn into that. Now, pay attention. The stretch from Wolgan Road to Old Bells Line of Road is more or less the dirt section. If it’s been raining, skip this unless you know what you’re doing. If you do it’s quite enjoyable. Blackfellows Hand Trail joins Beecroft Firetrail, which joins Old Bells Line of Road, which joins Glowworm Tunnel Road. Just for a change you’ll get to a Y intersection; stay right on State Mine Gully Road and you’ll end up back in Lithgow just across the railway from the Tin Shed Mission accomplished. Wasn’t that fun?

is a lot of fun. There is a wonderful range of scenery, along with some nice little towns with nice and in some cases quite big pubs. If you’re used to riding gravel, you will simply have a ball. If you’re not, it is an excellent opportunity to learn. None of the gravel stretches are terribly long but they are long enough to be just a little bit challenging. Oh, there is no deep sand for the simple reason that I hate deep sand and am only just ﬁtting knobbies to the BMW to go out and learn a bit myself.

Lithgow

The place is dragging itself out of the depression caused when it lost practically all of the industry it had. The Tin Shed (now licensed) is probably its only serious attraction apart from the excellent Small Arms Museum, but the place is trying.

Taralga

If the pub is open, it’s worth

having a drink in the beer garden. The food is meant to be okay, but I can’t vouch for that because the place was closed -- on a Monday afternoon.

O’Connell

Just a pub, really, which is popular with Harley riders.

Rockley

The Rockley pub has always been pleasant and popular for weekend lunches. Now that it’s owned by Matt Moran it is getting a facelift. Whether that will be a good thing remains to be seen.

Trunkey Creek

I like the Black Stump Hotel. It’s just another small country pub but it’s a nice one, which is good because there is bugger all else in Trunkey.

Blayney

A big small town or a small big town, Blayney has pretty much everything you might need although I don’t think it has a bike shop.

Millthorpe

This National Trust town looks like it’s in the early stages of becoming a tourist attraction, so get there now.

Orange

I doubt that I need to tell anyone anything about Orange. It would be the Big Smoke here if it wasn’t for Bathurst which is smokier. And bigger.

Peel

Nothing to see here.

Sofala

A curiously endearing dump just off the road with a big, dark and somehow ominous old pub and a shop that sells, what? Ice Cream? D

& ExquisiteLand of Vineyards Tour

N ASSOCIATION WITH IMTBIKE this is our only readers tour for 2022! IMTBike celebrates its 25th anniversary of running fabulous tours this year. This tour will be part of that 25-year celebration, so let’s show IMTBike how Aussies like to party! The tour is one chosen by Stuart and features the best of all worlds – vino, twisty roads and amazing sights. We’ve all been locked down and September will be the right time to get overseas and experience one of the most amazing tours in the world. Stuart can’t wait to lead this tour and have a great time away with you. He suggests booking your spot now so you don’t miss out! Of course, IMTBike has a refund covid policy in place, but let’s hope the world has moved far beyond that by then. Get to it!

Tour Facts

Start / End – Madrid

Total Distance - 1,770 miles / 2,850 km

Total Time - 15 Days

Riding Days - 13 Days

Rest Days - 2 Salamanca, Porto

Breakfast - 14 Included

Dinners - 11 Dinners

Daily Mileage - 165 miles / 275 kms.

Hotel Overnights - 14 Nights

Riding Season - Spring, Autumn

Highlights: 6 cities declared World Heritage by UNESCO: Segovia, Ávila, Ciudad Rodrigo, Salamanca, Porto and Guimarães. All of them connected by the best imaginable roads. Wine, wine and more wine! This tour goes through the major wine regions of Spain and Portugal.

Accommodations: Awesome hotels.

Included in Tour:

• Airport pickup on the first day of the tour.

• Overnight accommodations in high quality hotels

• A gourmet evening meal every night (except on rest days).

• Complete buffet breakfast every morning.

First-class historical Pousadas and Paradors plus a few specially selected boutique hotels with local flair. Pousadas and Paradors are Castles, Palaces & Fortresses converted into motorcyclefriendly hotels.

*All IMTBIKE lodgings are hand-picked for their quality of service, local charm and strategic locations.

• New model BMW motorcycle fully equipped with 3 BMW cases.

• Tour handbook (normally about 70 pages-very comprehensive) and highlighted map.

• Expert multilingual guide on a motorcycle.

• Multilingual guide in support vehicle which will carry your luggage, any oversized purchases you make; or even a passenger or two.

• Tour Souvenirs.

Not included in Tour:

Air ticket, lunches, gasoline, drinks, tolls, personal spending and tips

The Bear Says

Scott and IMTBIKE are among the very best motorcycle tour operators.

Not only do I have happy memories of my tour with them, I am going on another soon!

IMTBike says…

THIS DREAM TOUR will lead you through some of the most prestigious wine regions in Spain and Portugal. You’ll begin

your journey in Madrid, the Spanish capital, and travel through charming wine regions such as La Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Rueda, El Bierzo, Douro, Porto and the area in which “Vinho Verde” is produced. This magniﬁcent

motorcycle route will wind you over mountains and through inﬁnite vineyards. You will also visit millenary villages, castles and fortresses that still remain as proud vestiges of the once mighty region of Castile.

This tour takes place a few weeks after the “Vendimia” harvest and this means the aroma of freshly pressed grapes and the festive atmosphere of the wineries will accompany us during our tour. Now combine this with fun twisty roads with impeccable asphalt and you are in for an amazing vacation! On this journey you will see for yourself why this route is designed for connoisseurs of great motorcycle roads, wine, history and gastronomy.

Transfer from the Airport to the Hotel is included. You will have free time to rest or visit the city until the welcome meeting at the hotel in the afternoon. We will enjoy a welcome dinner after the meeting at a typical Spanish restaurant. The ﬁrst and last day in the itinerary correspond to the arrival and departure days of the tour. You may have to leave a day early depending on your country of origin. Please book your ﬂights taking this into account.

Daily Itinerary

Day 1: Madrid Arrival

Day 2: Madrid – Soria

Day 3: Soria – La Rioja

Day 4: La Rioja – Ribera del Duero

Day 5: Ribera de Duero – Salamanca

Day 6: Salamanca – Rest Day

Day 7: Salamanca – El Bierzo

Day 8: El Bierzo – Bragança

Day 9: Bragança – Guimaraes

Day 10: Guimaraes – Porto

Day 11: Porto – Rest Day

Day 12: Porto – Ciudad Rodrigo

Day 13: Ciudad Rodrigo – Ávila

Day 14: Ávila – Madrid

Day 15: Flight home

The price

€ 5645 - The base price of every tour is calculated for a single rider on a BMW G310R and sharing a double room

L O N G T E R M E R S

BMW F 750 GS

Bridgestone Battlax Adventurecross AX41 Adventure tyres

$515.19 THE SET

IF YOU’RE GOING TO run an adventure bike, then you should probably consider running adventure tyres as well. Even though the Michelins fitted to my BMW F 750 GS from the factory were good tyres, even on the occasionally challenging tracks of the Flinders Ranges, I thought I’d better see what sort of a difference a proper set of adventure hoops would make. The Esteemed Editor suggested these Bridgestone Battlax Adventurecross tyres, and who am I to second-guess him? He even kindly fitted the tyres for me at D Moto Motorcycle Engineering (our thanks for lending us the sue of their tyre fitting machine), where the staff politely looked away as the bike was wheeled in among all the Ducatis. And the bike looked

properly tough once the tyres were ﬁtted.

Bridgestone is not backward in coming forward with claims for the Adventurecross. “Conquer the world, any way you like,” they say, “This performance is your new best friend. “Carefully tuned performance and highly evolved durability let you to chase down your own adventure. The

AX41’s high performance enables powerful off-road performance. More freedom, just the way you want it. A tire on which to discover the joy of conquering the unknown.” The tyre is recommended for riders who want to enjoy off-road riding on an adventure bike, or who are seeking high off-road performance and durability.

Stuart warned me they might “rumble” a little to start with due to the chunky knobby tread, but that is only noticeable at very low speeds, and especially under brakes. At road and highway speeds, they are quite smooth. And that’s all I have had a chance to do with them – ride them on the road and the highway. By the next issue I will have had a chance to play with them on the gravel and in the dirt; a couple of ﬁre trails are waiting breathlessly for the Adventurecrosses to caress them. Tune in again! PT

Shaun and Stuart gave the F 750 GS the express tyre change service. Great stuff!

CLASSIC 350 ENFIELD ROYAL

Accessory time

OUR ROYAL ENFIELD

CLASSIC 350 is such a delight to ride and I thought I’d run you through a couple of accessories ﬁtted to it and a couple on the ‘wish list’. Already ﬁtted to the bike are the rider and pillion Touring seats. Made with dual density foam for more support and a “3D Net” which helps distribute weight evenly across the seat for even more comfort.

The surface of the seats have ribbed vinyl for style and premium piping, stitching and an embossed logo for a classy look. One thing I have found, riding both the standard and Touring seat is an increase in the seat height. At a guess I’d say an extra 10mm is added to the standard 805mm seat height. The Touring seats are available in Black or Brown.

The wish list includes the Rider

Seat Springs, which give an even more classic/vintage look. They ﬁt both the standard and accessory seats and I assume would provide a more cushioned ride thanks to the springs.

Next up would be the Deluxe Footpegs for more comfort and better styling. Available in Black or Silver, I’d have to go with Silver to match the silver seat springs.

Finally I think the Octagon Engine Guard might look the part on the bike. Many vintage/classic bikes had some form of engine bars/guards ﬁtted to them back in the day and the Octagon guard could make the Classic 350 look even more Classic.

All of these accessories can be found on the Royal Enfield website –royalenfield.com.au and purchased at your local Royal Enfield dealer. SW

SUPER SOCO CPX

Electric scooter $7690

IT WAS GOOD WHILE it lasted.

You may have noticed my items about the many uses I found for the scoot while it was happily available in my garage, but in the end it had to go back to importers UMI in Melbourne.

As a ﬁnale I thought I’d show you one last photo of the CPx on one of its standard runs, to Uncle Dan’s. Equipped with a Kawasaki KLR650 accessory, the milk crate (just kidding) it could manage to carry several days’ supplies. I shall miss it, and (just in case you weren’t paying attention) I recommend it. PT

VISUALLY THERE

PROBABLY ISN’T much you’ll notice that’s changed with the 2022 Harley-Davidson Street Glide ST versus the Street Glide Special 2021 model, except for the moniker subtlety etched on each side and some other ﬁner details. The ‘moniker’ I’m talking about though, is the new 117 cube engine and boy has it given the Street Glide ST a

whole different feeling.

That different feeling is one of freedom – free breathing and freedom to ride the Street Glide ST in a higher gear without it chugging along or have the freedom to rev it like a rat and let the devil inside run wild.

From the side, you could almost think the ST (which stands for Sport Touring) is one of those American bagger race bikes that have been

so much fun to watch, especially at Laguna Seca (check out some of the racing on YouTube).

The Milwaukee-Eight 117 V-Twin engine offers the most displacement and torque available from a factoryinstalled, regular-production HarleyDavidson powertrain. With 117 cubic inches of displacement and precision oil/air cooling lets the 117 punch out 172Nm of torque at 3750rpm. The

engine features a high-performance camshaft, a high-ﬂow intake, and high-performance exhaust tuned to maximise engine performance while maintaining compliance and producing a stirring tone, one you could almost pass for having aftermarket pipes on. If you feel the need, the need for speed, dealer installed Screamin’ Eagle Performance Parts Stage Upgrades from Harley-Davidson are available to boost engine performance even further.

This new premium hot-rod bagger handles too. Despite tipping the scales at a hefty 369kg (wet) you will keep up with and, if you want, pull away from much more fancied machinery. It’s also probably the ﬁrst Harley-Davidson on which I didn’t grind the footboards

The ST comes with HarleyDavidson’s Boom! Box GTS infotainment system with colour touch screen, two fairing-mount speakers and hidden radio antenna

into oblivion!

Two colours of the ST are available – Gunship Grey, or (as you see here), Vivid Black. I think it has to be black. It helps accentuate the bronze tappet covers, the machined cylinder head ﬁns and chrome pushrod tubes, oh, and of course the bronze-coloured Prodigy cast aluminium wheels. Most

of the bike is blacked out anyway, so keep that mean look and get the black paint. The only other subtle items that aren’t totally blacked out include the colour band on the lower rocker box, timer cover medallion, intake medallion, and the classic script tank graphic.

To give the ST that racier look, ‘standard’ length saddlebags are fitted, versus the extended saddlebags you have seen on the current Street Glide Special. The front fender is trimmed, and the fuel tank features a low-profile console with side fuel filler. One item that does give the racy look is the intake breather hanging out the right-hand side. This mod alone on previous models used to give 10kW or thereabouts!

A solo seat rules out this being a motorcycle that your better half is able to climb on, but sometimes it’s better to leave them at home and do your own thing, isn’t that right? Come on, I need some backing here, guys!

H-D ‘Reﬂex’ linked Brembo brakes with ABS come standard, however I’m not overly a fan of linked brakes on a bike like this. You want to be able to punt it hard from time to time and not have that weird feeling of extra braking front or rear versus what you’re wanting to input. I totally think it works well on more relaxed touring and cruiser bikes, just not on this bike.

Other cornering technology ﬁtted to the ST - Cornering ABS and Cornering Traction Control are great to have if things get out of hand. While I’m on about technology ﬁtted to the ST, the bike also features Drag Torque Slip Control, Vehicle Hold Control and tyre pressure monitors.

When you’re not tearing up the corners and instead cruising the straights, the ST comes standard with Harley-Davidson’s Boom! Box GTS infotainment system with colour touch screen, two fairing-mount speakers and hidden radio antenna. I found it clear up to around 90 km/h, but most of the time I wanted to listen to those 117 cubes pounding along.

Electronic cruise control as ﬁtted to most other ‘touring’ H-D models works a treat and does help to make those long boring sections more comfortable. A Daymaker LED headlamp pushes out an impressive punch with a bright-white beam that lights up the road at night. Also, as with just about with every other H-D, a Smart Security System with proximity-based, hands-free security fob offers peace of mind.

Aside from the range of Screamin’ Eagle performance parts there is Harley-Davidson’s humungous range of accessories, but does the Street Glide ST really need anything extra? Not to my mind, but you could be different.

Out of the touring range of Harley-Davidsons I consider the Street Glide ST to be my new favourite – it’s comfy and you can have a lot of fun on it. Go to your dealer and take one for a ride and you’ll see what I mean. D

Specs

HARLEY-DAVIDSON STREET GLIDE ST

MODEL: Harley-Davidson Street Glide ST

PRICE: $44,995 (ride away)

WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance

SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 8000km or 12 months

ENGINE: 1923cc oil/air-cooled V-twin cylinder, 103.5x114.3mm bore/stroke, OHV, four valves per cylinder

POWER: 79kW @ 4750rpm

TORQUE: 172Nm @ 3750rpm

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed, wet multi-plate clutch, belt ﬁnal drive

SUSPENSION: Front, 49mm telescopic forks, non-adjustable, travel 117mm. Rear, twin-shock, adjustable preload, travel 76mm.

DIMENSIONS: Seat height 710mm, weight 369kg (wet), fuel capacity 22.7 litres, wheelbase 1625mm

TYRES: Front, 130/60/B19. Rear, 180/55/B18

BRAKES: Front, twin 300mm discs with radial four-piston cornering ABS calipers. Rear, 300mm disc, four-piston cornering ABS caliper.

FUEL CONSUMPTION: 7.18 litres per 100km, premium unleaded

THEORETICAL RANGE: 315km

COLOURS: Gunship Grey, Vivid Black

VERDICT: Feel it

THERE WAS VIRTUALLY NO SUMMER…

SO HOW COLD IS

WINTER GOING TO BE!

Winter is upon us and that means getting rugged up to go for a ride. As we virtually had no summer this year, the question must be asked… Just how cold is our winter going to be? Well, if you make sure you’ve got the appropriate gear for your riding during the colder months, you won’t be too bothered by any wintery blasts. As per usual, we put the call out to the various distributors and here is what the ones that took the time to send us information want you to know about. Keep that in mind when making a purchase.

SPECIAL FEATURE WINTER GEAR

kawasaki.com.au or your local dealer

Heritage long-sleeve t-shirt - $49

In 1896, the Kawasaki Dockyard was incorporated in Tokyo - the beginning of the industry giant Kawasaki as you know it today. The new long-sleeve t-shirt is all about the Kawasaki heritage. The 100% cotton long-sleeve t-shirt with the Kawasaki heritage logo is the perfect way to layer up for winter. Sizes range from S – 3XL.

Accelerate Hoodie - $85

The Accelerate Hoodie has a zip front, two zip-up pockets and a polar ﬂeece lining for winter comfort. Striking lime graphics and Kawasaki logos complement the black hoodie. A Kawasaki winter essential. Sizes range from S – 5XL.

Aytee Jacket$449.95

Blending urban looks with touring functionality, the Aytee consists of a softshell textile in a 3-layer construction. It features a polyester mesh liner with a detachable Raintex+ membrane and thermo liner. Chest and back air vents, as well as width adjustment of the hips and cuff ensure ultimate rider comfort. Safety is paramount with shoulder and elbow CE protection, and the rear pocket allows for the ﬁtment of a CE Back Protector. With Night Eye all around to boost your visibility in the dark, it really is the light at the end of the tunnel. Available in Black/Dark Grey, Camo/Blue

Kawasaki

Racing Team Beanie$40

A beanie to make you look as fast as Jonathan Rea on a Ninja ZX-10RR. The official 2022 Kawasaki Racing Team beanie is covered with sponsors and filled with winter warmth. Put it on your head in between track sessions. One size fits all.

District Jacket - $249.95

Constructed from a cotton-polyester mix, this jacket provides casual comfort with the full suite of protection. Fitted with a polyester mesh liner and a width adjustment cuff, the District features a zip-off hoodie that can be clipped back so it doesn’t ﬂap around. Rider protection is key with Shoulder and Elbow RISC CE level 1 and RISC CE back protection. The reﬂective chest and elbow pads provide excellent visibility and the Aramid reinforcements on the shoulders, elbows and back all help the District to meet or exceed European CE Safety Standard EN17092.

Equator Night Eye Mens Jacket - $499.95

The Jacket of choice for dedicated riders. The Equator Night Eye jacket features air vent panels and both a separately removable thermo liner and Raintex waterproof and breathable lining to easily adapt to any circumstance. The Night Eye reﬂective material on the chest and back drastically improves rider visibility at night and the built-in Safe Tech CE armour protection in the shoulders and elbows helps to keep the rider safe.

Ion & Ion Hard-Wired Electric

Heated Gloves - Battery powered $399.95, Hard-Wired $299.95

ION Men’s electric heated winter gloves. Fully armoured, full length, totally waterproof with the ability to control the level of warmth for your hands.You will never ride another winter without a pair. Electric heated with 4 temperature levels. 30-degree buckle, double Velcro wrist closure, ergo thumb, touch tip, screen cleaner.

SPECIAL FEATURE WINTER GEAR

Axe Jacket - $229.95

Making a bold, custom rider statement is the new checker overshirt-style jackets from British company Merlin. Designed to look and feel just like a Heavy-Duty cotton shirt but fully lined with Dupont Kevlar and ﬁtted with CE Armour in the shoulders and elbows and a foam back pad essential for safe motorcycle riding. Dupont Kevlar offers superior abrasion resistance and is featured as a lining throughout the whole garment, sandwiched between the heavy-duty cotton outside and the black mesh inside. The foam back pad can be upgraded to a CE back protector if required. Available now in Red, Green, Grey or Dark Blue.

Barton II Waxed Jacket - $469.95

This shorter style modern-retro waxed cotton jacket is constructed from genuine Scottish Halley Stevensons 12oz Silkwax fabric. It features a Reissa Active waterproof and breathable lining and a removable 150g quilted thermal lining. The zip-open ventilation panels on the front and rear, as well as the D30 CE Level 1 shoulder and elbow armour combine to provide rider comfort and safety. Premium YKK zippers are used throughout, and the rear armour pocket allows the ﬁtment of a CE back protector. Available in black and olive colourways, the Barton II is manufactured to meet or exceed the new CE Safety Standard.

Edale Jacket - $529.95

This full-length contemporary waxed cotton jacket is constructed from genuine Halley Stevensons Scottish 8oz Cotec Tech Wax fabric. The Edale features a Reissa Active waterproof and breathable lining and removable “Outlast” climate control thermal lining. Zip open ventilation panels front, and rear provide breathability and the premium British D3O LP1 shoulder and elbow armour are pre-ﬁtted. Safety is key with the rear armour pocket, which allows the ﬁtment of an optional CE Back Protector (D3O Viper Stealth). The addition of side-entry handwarmer pockets and an internal drawcord hem waist adjuster also help to improve rider comfort. Manufactured to meet or exceed CE Safety Standard EN17092.

Motopressor Battery Charger

/Maintainer – RC-2000: $75.95, RC-750: $46.75

Not using the bike over winter. Too cold to go outside. Keep your battery maintained while it’s not in use. The RC-2000 is perfect for keeping all your 12V and 6V lead-acid in batteries in top condition. Once a battery is fully charged the unit will automatically switch to a maintenance mode, maintaining your batteries charge for prolong periods without overcharging or damaging the battery. The RC-750 is perfect for keeping all your 12V and 6V lead-acid batteries in top condition, including WET (ﬂooded), GEL, MF (Maintenance-Free) and EFB (Enhanced Flooded Battery).

Ducati Strada C4 Jacket - $1309

X-Tour H2Out Jacket - $749.95

Spidi X-Tour combines a 100% waterproof and breathable laminated outer shell while offering the possibility of ventilation on hot days. The membrane laminated to the outer fabric avoids soaking and the consequent heaviness of the jacket. For the colder months the X-Tour features a polar microﬂeece jacket and a removeable 200g liner. With the huge amount of features this jacket offers, it’s like having two jackets in the one – the perfect thing to have! Plenty of pockets, all the protection you could want and made from high tenacity elastic ﬂex tenax Nylon 6.6 which offers extreme levels of abrasion resistance. Available Grey/ Red/Black and sizes M – 3XL.

SPECIAL FEATURE WINTER GEAR

HG-3 Heated Gloves - $299.95

Featuring a waterproof stretch fabric construction (topside and palm) for weatherproofing and comfort, along with Metacarpophalangeal protection from a TPR shell under fabric, TPR hypothenar protective shell (palm slider), synthetic leather palm with micro-perforated reinforcement for grip, heating through a separate battery with a button offering three levels of heat, battery compartment closure featuring a waterproof YKK zipper, Hipora waterproof internal membrane, Thinsulate thermal insulation lining (topside), Bemberg internal comfort lining, reflective night time visibility elements, closure system featuring an elastic band and wide Velcro strip and a Touch Screen System (index finger) for handling device screens. Available in Black and sizes S – 3XL.

IT-Yate Evo Gloves - $399.95

Discover the smart and connected Heated glove for riding comfort with no limits. Ixon embeds clim8 technology to offer you the only smart and connected heated glove that knows WHEN and HOW to keep your hands warm. Equipped with an intelligent sensor, the heating system keeps your hands at a constant temperature whatever the outside conditions. They include high-quality materials, excellent natural insulation and a rainproof cuff, along with a whole host of other features! A must for winter, no doubt about it. Intelligent temperature regulation, Automatic start and stop sensor, perfect heating on the most exposed zones, customize your settings with the clim8 app and comes with an AU Power adaptor. Available sizes S – 3XL.

WFX-3 Mens Gloves - $99.95

These winter gloves feature Nylon construction (topside)/synthetic leather (palm), along with WP Line internal weatherproof membrane, Thinsulate 180g thermal insulation, one-piece PU metacarpophalangeal protective shell underneath ventilated fabric, palm protection with a TPR shell and synthetic leather reinforcement, elastic and Velcro strap closure system, reﬂective elements for night time visibility and a Touch Screen system (on index ﬁnger) for handling touchscreens without removing gloves. Available in Black and sizes S – 3XL.Available in Black and sizes S – 3XL.

Compass 4 Jacket - $219.95

Outer shell made from 600 Denier polyester, reinforced with 1000D on the shoulders and elbows. This jacket features a Reissa waterproof and breathable membrane, removable thermal liner, mesh comfort liner, CE armour, soft collar with Neoprene edge, arm and waist adjusters, ﬁve outer and two inner pockets and connection zip for pants. Available in four colours and sizes XS – 8XL.

Summit Pro Gloves - $149.95

Made from leather, soft shell and Kodura 500 Denier, these gloves feature Visco lab impact knuckle protection, nylon palm protector, McTex waterproof and breathable liner, McFit Tri ﬂeece liner, McFill 6oz back and 2oz palm, accordion stretch panels, touch screen ﬁnger, dual strap closure and leather reinforcement on palm and side of hand. Available Blk/Red or Blk/Yellow and sizes S – 2XL.

SPECIAL FEATURE WINTER GEAR

Rukka Rimo-R Gore-Tex Jacket - $870

This great jacket from Rukka features a 100% breathable, wind- and waterproof Gore-Tex 2-layer laminated to light and durable polyester shell fabric, along with abrasion-resistant Cordura 500D reinforcements on shoulders and elbows, pockets for Rukka D3O Air XTR shoulder and elbow protectors, pocket for Rukka D3O Air XTR All back protector, pockets for D3O CP1 divided chest protector, yet also has the room for body armour. Ventilation includes on back, sides, chest and sleeves. The Rimo-R has four outside pockets, two lower pockets with zipper and Velcro closure, a transparent timecard pocket on the left sleeve end with zipper and a large pocket on the lower back. Plenty of adjustability including width adjustment on upper and lower arm with snap fasteners, adjustable waist belt on sides, adjustable hem and sleeve ends with Velcro tightening and a long connecting zipper for trousers. A soft neoprene collar and sleeve ends with zippers and waterproof GoreTex inner cuffs complete what is an amazing jacket. Available in three colours and sizes XS – 7XL.

Renwerina Ladies Fleece Jacket - $155

The Rukka Renwerina ﬂeece is a 3-layer knitted ﬂeece jacket. It has a windproof membrane and is the perfect partner to your textile motorcycle jacket. Rukka A.W.S wind material ensures total wind proofness and excellent breathability. The jacket features contrast ribstop detailing, multiple pockets and adjustable hem. Available in Light Grey or Black and sizes 34 – 48.

ThermoG+ Gore-Tex Gloves - $230

Textile gloves with leather palm which are fully water, windproof and breathable, featuring top touch sensitivity for perfect control with Gore-Tex Gore Grip technology, extra warmth for colder riding conditions with 200g Thinsulate insulation on backhand, palm, knuckle and finger protection, elastic wrist with Velcro tightening, inner cuff with stretch ribbing, fleece lining, visor wiper on left index finger and touchscreen fingertips. Available in Black and sizes 6 – 14 Euro.

SPECIAL FEATURE WINTER GEAR

Rukka Rimo-R Gore-Tex Jacket - $870

Renwerina Ladies Fleece Jacket - $155

ThermoG+ Gore-Tex Gloves - $230

SW-Motech Neck Buff with Mask Insert - $16

Must have item for every SW-Motech enthusiast. Can be worn under a helmet and keeps your face warm from the cold and wind. An inbuild pocket allows for insertion of a medical mask.

Rain Off Over Gloves

- $75

These gloves keep your hands warm and dry all year around, whilst wearing your regular gloves underneath. Work well with heated grips and the gloves are available in two styles:

One Finger: Index ﬁnger in own pocket, three other ﬁngers in another

Two Fingers: Index and middle ﬁnger in one pocket, two other ﬁngers in another Sizes range from XS – XL.

SPECIAL FEATURE WINTER GEAR

AdventureMoto Thermatech Mens Ultra Long Sleeve 1/4 Zip Polo Neck Top - $119.95

ThermaTech’s ultra baselayer top is a long sleeve thermal layer designed for outdoor activity featuring advanced ﬁbre technology for superior durable comfort. Made from 100% SpeedDri hollowcore polyester these tops draw sweat away from the skin towards the surface of the fabric where it quickly evaporates. This in effect keeps the thermals lightweight, breathable and keeps your skin dry for longer lasting, durable comfort. This thermal top is also extremely effective in thermoregulation, perfect for extended active performance. Sizes S - 2XL.

Klim Glove Liners 4.0 Insulated - $45

For the warmest possible glove setup, the Klim 4.0 liners incorporate 80 Grams of 3M Thinsulate Platnium insulation on the backhand. Leather palm allows maximum durable tactility inside a Klim Gore-Tex glove (the liner stays in place). Includes e-touch technology on finger and thumb. Replace existing fleece liners or simply upsize any non-insulated Klim glove and enjoy the benefits of a superior insulated liner. Sizes XS – 3XL. D

Rule All Roads

Get ready to discover the fourth Multistrada generation. Sportier and more touring, stronger for off-road use and easier in the urban environment. Lightweight and compact, with the new 170 HP V4 Granturismo engine for a sporty and exciting ride on mixed terrains. Ready for long journeys thanks to the navigation-system that can be viewed on the dashboard and the innovative rider assistance radar-system, it will offer you excellent riding comfort and a main service-interval after 60.000 km. And when the asphalt ends the fun will continue thanks to the high ground clearance, the electronic suspension, the surprisingly fluid power delivery and the perfect ergonomics for stand-up riding. After your adventures you will feel great ease and control in daily use thanks to the advanced electronic ride assist systems and the ability to adjust the seat down to 810 mm in height. New Ducati Multistrada V4: ruling all roads has never been easier.

Ducati Multistrada V4

LEGENDARY BRUTE

By one of the best

MORIWAKI HAS BUILT A gorgeous range of Zephyr add ons in the tradition of the great Moriwaki Kawasaki Superbike that Wayne Gardner rode in the 1981 British Superbike series…

The Kawasaki Zephyr 1100 was a brilliant bike that really never took off the way it should have here in Australia or NZ. However, if we could have got our hands on some of the kit that this Moriwaki Zephyr is decked out with, things would have

This bike was built in Japan by friends at Moriwaki Engineering. Starting with a base 2006 Zephyr 1100

been a lot different.

If you are in your mid-40s, loved early 1980s superbike racing and always dreamed of owning your own ballsy air-cooled superbike – this bike will make that dream come true.

I can’t think of a tricker looking, more ballsy and tough looking nakedbike than this 1258cc big bore muscle bike – built by the company that so famously took on the world in the early 1980s with a naked, upright superbike – arguably the world’s ﬁrst

Get Some MORIWAKI GOODIES AVAILABLE (mickhone.com.au 03 9890 0304 or visit moriwaki.co.jp for more details)

Exhaust system

Steering stem kit

Brake caliper brackets

Swingarm

Rearsets

Pivot plate

Clutch actuation kit

Spark plug cooling duct

Crash knobs

Fender eliminator

Alternator cover

Frame hole plugs

Carbon-ﬁbre front guard

80mm piston kit

80mm cylinder sleeve kit

Billet sump

superbike, and one that kickstarted the career of our own Wayne Gardner.

This bike was built in Japan by friends at Moriwaki Engineering. Starting with a base 2006 Zephyr 1100, the cylinders were sleeved and bored to take huge 80mm Moriwaki pistons, running a compression ratio of 11.5:1.

Stock carburettors (Keihin ﬂatslides will be available soon) are rejetted to suit the hot looking, hand bent large diameter Moriwaki Monster exhaust system and modiﬁed airbox. Standard camshafts are used.

The sump is replaced with a billet alloy Moriwaki oil pan and braided high-pressure oil lines supply oil to the air/oil-cooled engine.

The engine also has a Moriwaki billet alternator cover, right-hand engine cover, oil cooler and air scoop under the steering head. A trick looking clutch slave cylinder brace mount/countershaft cover is also ﬁtted.

The Zephyr has never been considered a well-handling bike for sports riding but Moriwaki Engineering has well and truly ﬁxed that. With decades of racing success, if anyone knows about handling it is these guys.

The forks are gorgeous Ohlins blacked out FS824K/KB 43mm inverted forks in Moriwaki billet triple-clamps, while the rear shocks are Ohlins S36PR1C1L items mounted to a seriously tough looking Moriwaki swingarm.

Marchesini Kompo-Evo forged alloy wheels wear Sunstar rotors and the bike is stopped by Brembo calipers and Plot Swage Kevlar lines. Dunlop Sportmax Q2 120/70/17 and 180/55/17in tyres are ﬁtted.

To protect the bike, Moriwaki crash knobs are ﬁtted and the stunning paintwork, a replica job of the original Moriwaki superbike, was done by Design Factory, Japan.

Neat frame hole plugs, Moriwaki rearsets, PIAA HID headlight, POSH blinkers and Moriwaki bar risers top off this stunning machine that has more drool factor than any Zephyr we have ever seen, plus it has the power and handling to match the looks… D

This stunning machine has more drool factor than any Zephyr we have ever seen

Specs

2006 KAWASAKI ZEPHYR 1100,

ENGINE: DOHC air-cooled in-line four-cylinder four-stroke 8-valve, 1258cc big bore kit with 80mm pistons (1062cc std), 80mm x 62.6mm bore x stroke, 11.5:1 compression (9.1:1 std), digital ignition, dual plugs per cylinder, ﬁve-speed gearbox with wet multi-plate clutch, Keihin CVK34mm carburettors, Moriwaki engine covers and air scoop, Moriwaki Monster exhaust system

CHASSIS: High tensile double-cradle frame, Moriwaki billet triple-clamps, Moriwaki braced alloy swingarm, Moriwaki rearsets, Moriwaki frame plugs, Ohlins 43mm inverted forks, Ohlins twin rear shocks, Plot Swage brake lines, Sunstar rotors, Marchesini forged alloy wheels, Brembo brake calipers, AFAM sprockets, Dunlop Sportmax Q2 tyres

STYLING: Design Studio replica paintwork, POSH indicators, PIAA HID headlight, Moriwaki fender eliminator, Moriwaki carbon-ﬁbre front guard

WHEN – 11-20 MAY 2023

10 DAYS VACATION

8 DAYS RIDING

OKAY, SO OUR MOROCCO tour for the second time now has been a bit of a non-event. Whatever is behind this – covid, travel restrictions, nervousness or whatever it has been, we’ve now decided to abandon Morocco for the time being with our Readers Tour now going to Italy!

I know many of you will be super delighted to join this tour and after speaking with the great folk at Edelweiss Bike Travel, they are super excited for this one too!

Just imagine…traditional pizza, pasta, wine, historical sights, beautiful roads and of course, great like-minded Australian Motorcyclist riders. What more could you really ask for?

Book now with peace of mind and let’s go have a good time!

Edelweiss Bike Travel says…

This tour through the land of the Etruscans and Romans is a dream for motorcycle riders and fans of culture, history and great cuisine. In 10 days we will discover the most beautiful sights of Italy –curve fun included!

Our tour starts in Rome, the “Eternal City”. From there, we will ride East to the “backbone” of Italy, the Apennines and the Monte Sibillini national park, before we will get enchanted by the Medieval city of Assisi. After a night in the microstate San Marino, we will ride over the mountain passes of the Alpe di Serra and Casentino and on to Florence, the “pearl of the renaissance” at the Arno river, where we will also have our rest day. A ride to the Mugello race track or rather some culture in Florence – you decide! The next day, Pisa’s leaning tower, the Mediterranean Sea and San Gimignano with its many towers are our highlights. Our next stop then is Siena, where we will marvel at one of the most beautiful squares of Italy, the Piazza del Campo. After a side trip to Chianti and a glass of good wine we will eventually reach Pienza, from where we will ride back to Rome.

A quick rundown…

Day 1: Arrival in Roma (Rome)

Day 2: Roma (Rome) - Assisi

Day 3: Assisi - San Marino

Day 4: San Marino - Firenze (Florence)

Day 5: Firenze (Florence)

Day 6: Firenze (Florence) - Volterra

Day 7: Volterra - Siena

Day 8: Siena - Pienza

Day 9: Pienza - Roma (Rome)

Day 10: Departure from Roma (Rome)

The finer details

Included services

All overnights (comfortable middle-class hotels) during entire tour

Breakfast every day

2 picnics/lunches

8 dinners

Motorcycle rental with unlimited mileage

Third party liability insurance for motorcycles

Comprehensive vehicle insurance for motorcycles with deductible according to the booked motorcycle model

Tour information package in English or German including safety tips, details about the hotels, the route and the sights

English and German speaking tour guide on motorcycle

Support van for luggage transportation (1 piece per person) and space for passengers (limited) on entire tour

Edelweiss Riding Tips

Services not included

All services not mentioned as included and all items of a personal nature.

Optional Services

Optional deductible reduction on included motorcycle insurance (Cover All / Cover Plus) additional rental options prior or post tour on request and availability

Please note

This group tour is not suitable for people with limited mobility.

The bikes

Price for rider in double room

$5130

BMW G 310 GS

BMW G 310 R

Honda NC 750 S

Honda NC 750 X

Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT

Yamaha Tracer 700

Price for rider in double room$5220

BMW F 750 GS (LSP)

Yamaha Tenere 700

Price for rider in double room$5370

BMW F 850 GS

BMW F 900 R

BMW F 900 XR

Ducati Monster 821

Ducati Multistrada 950 S

Honda CRF 1100 L Africa Twin

KTM 890 Adventure (LSP)

Suzuki V-Strom 1050 XT

Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro

Yamaha Tracer 900

Price for rider in double room -

$5500

BMW R 1250 GS

BMW R 1250 GS (LSP)

BMW R 1250 R

BMW R 1250 RS

The Bear Says

FOR THE MONEY THIS IS A LAY-DOWN MISÈRE! WISH I COULD GO.

BMW S 1000 XR

Ducati Monster 1200

Ducati Multistrada 1260 S

Harley-Davidson Pan America

Special

KTM 1290 Super Adventure S

Triumph Tiger Explorer

Price for rider in double room$5650

BMW R 1250 GS Adventure

BMW R 1250 RT

Price for passenger in double room - $3430

Single room supplement - $490

OPTIONAL:

Guided City Tour in double room (Minimum participants: 1) - $440

Single room supplement - $60

CAM TIMING

Words – Picko

Photos – Various

MANY A BUDDING

TINKERER has tuned their engine either slower than stock, or to a complete standstill. Generally speaking engines, especially modern sports ones, are fairly highly tuned to begin with, and tuning them in the wrong way can lose horsepower and reliability.

On the dyno I’ve seen some amazing things, with so called ‘improvements’ in breathing in and out actually giving less horsepower and torque than the stock components they replaced.

An area which is a black art for most motorcycle enthusiasts, including most modern motorcycle mechanics, is camshaft timing, commonly referred to as Cam Timing. You cannot do this on most standard motorcycles because the camshaft sprockets are not adjustable, leaving you with production line inaccuracies.

The Lobes

The lobe centre refers to the centre of the cam’s profile (this is usually the peak of the lobe but not always so), and the cam timing numbers represent the crankshaft angle before top dead

Many a budding tinkerer has tuned their engine slower than stock

centre (BTDC) for the exhaust cam’s centre, and the angle after top dead centre (ATDC) of the intake cam’s centre. Clear as mud?

An important event in a camshaft’s rotation is during valve overlap. Get this wrong, and disastrous things

can happen. Valve overlap is when both the inlet and exhaust valves are slightly open. If you look at Figure 1 you will see the overlap area on the graph. Retarding the exhaust camshaft (moving the profile to the right) will increase overlap, as will advancing the intake camshaft (moving the profile to the left).

While it may be easy to look at a lobe’s profile and point to the centre, actually finding that point when the

TECHNICAL

camshaft is in the engine is a different matter, especially when a couple of degrees can result in a big change.

Your average motorcycle mechanic who does basic servicing and troubleshooting will most likely never have been shown this level of intricacy in engine modifications so you need to find the right person to let loose inside your engine.

Spinning Sprockets

Most production engines do not come with ‘slotted’ camshaft sprockets. Some aftermarket sprockets can be bought for most modern sports engines and you cannot change the cam timing without adjustable sprockets. I have seen sprocket bolt holes drilled bigger to allow some degree of adjustment but this is the butcher’s way of doing it. I prefer to machine a slot in the sprockets, along the axis of the camshaft rotation. Safer, smarter, and just plain better.

An important event in a camshaft’s rotation is during valve overlap. Get this wrong and disastrous things can happen

There are no real magic numbers when it comes to cam timing, as what may work on one engine may not on another, especially going from V-twin to an inline four for example. The art of experimentation is king here, and a good tuner with a dyno can make good improvements to your engine through cam timing.

Generally speaking, more valve overlap will improve midrange power but at the expense of top end power, and less overlap will give more top end, sacrificing midrange. Airbox and exhaust systems all affect cam timing settings and the performance

improvements from those changes. It is not uncommon to ‘optimise’ the cam timing with a standard exhaust and get gains, then change the exhaust and or airbox and make changes to the cam timing again to suit the freer flowing components. Of course, this all costs money and most people will not bother, as we are not talking massive gains.

One of the dangers of playing with

cam timing is the potential for a collision between pistons and valves. As the piston approaches and passes TDC on overlap, the exhaust valve is closing. If the exhaust cam is too retarded, contact between the piston and valve can result, all depending on the state of tune of the engine, how much compression it has, if it has larger valves than standard and so on. Likewise, the intake valve is opening as the piston approaches TDC on overlap. After TDC, the intake valve chases the piston as it opens, another potential danger zone. And with too much overlap, there is a chance the intake and exhaust valves could tangle, with the bigger valves I just mentioned being part of the cause in a race prepped engine. After adjusting the cam timing it is best to check valve-to-piston clearances at 15, 10 and five degrees before and after TDC for both intake and exhaust valves.

Real World Results

Race engine builders with experience in this field will usually experiment with a few different changes to the cam timing, and mark the cam sprockets accordingly, so as to reduce the time consuming calculations each time. The reason for this is that sometimes the best results on the dyno are not reflected on the track. That can

be down to how the rider uses the power, and what their forte is. I have found that riders used to high revving four-cylinder machines do not always gel with big thundering V-twins, where little is gained by taking them constantly to the redline. A smart tuner will make changes to suit the rider, with both working together for the best results. A seat of the pants feel can often be better than a dyno sheet. But what if you could continually vary the valve timing? Car makers have been doing the variable valve timing thing for some years now and Honda

There are no real magic numbers when it comes to cam timing, as what may work on one engine may not on another

had a crack at it with its VFR800 in the early 2000s, using a modified version of the V-TEC system it was using in its cars. It was universally slammed by motorcycle magazine testers when first revealed, but having

ridden one I thought their assessments were a bit unfair. Yes, it had flaws in the power delivery but was a valiant attempt by Honda. Anyway, the engine in that form ran for over a decade so enough people disregarded the magazine testers and bought them anyway.

The best example I’ve ever sampled is the newish Ducati Multistrada 1200 DVT. There is no discernible ‘step’ in power, it is everywhere and very strong. It has a much better power delivery than the previous Multistrada 1200, in my opinion. D

AND THIS ONE HAS MORE THAN MOST

CLASSIC RACER

FOR DUCATI FANS THE name Gowanloch is an invocation. The man himself, Ian, might have moved on from the ownership of the Belmore store using his name but it’s still a place of pace for Ducati enthusiasts.

Building a fast bevel drive race bike is a different story these days than back in the late ’70s and early ’80s when Old 238 was built, if you want to be competitive, and it’s a good comparison between this original bike and the Ron Young Engineering 750SS here also to see how engineering has had to evolve over the years.

A RACER FROM THE OFF

The bike known as ‘Old 238’ was bought new by Gary Peters, raced a few times in club land, and eventually found itself in the hands of Ian Gowanloch, then making a name for himself as a Ducati mechanic and race tuner. Ian was always going to be up against it when it came to horsepower, as back in that era there were plenty of fast Japanese four-stroke multis and two-stroke TZ Yamahas to contend

with. But as Ducati fans know, the Italian brand has always punched above its weight.

One of the early riders was Chris Nankivell, a Ducati enthusiast and racer. He tells the story of the early days.

“After the Ducati owners got started, we (me, Arthur Davis, Garry Peters and a bunch of others) started touring around the countryside every weekend we could spare and then someone suggested we go club racing, so the

DOC (Ducati Owners Club) got afﬁliated so we could do this and spent some years doing it,” said Chris.

“Ian had his backyard business going at this time and we all used to get our bike tuned and upgraded with any new parts that came along. He was a big supporter of the club and, of course, shared our love of Ducatis.

“I had done a bit of club racing with Northern Districts MC on my old 750 GT and 750 Sport mainly at Amaroo Park. I raced my 750SS with the DOC

He was a big supporter of the club and, of course, shared our love of Ducatis

at Oran Park and Bathurst as well as Amaroo.

“I don’t know if I was doing any better than anyone else but I was about to retire out of racing as I couldn’t do much else when Arthur, who was working for Ian Gowanloch at Lidcombe, said they were waiting on some race parts for a 900 SS that was sitting in the workshop and Ian wouldn’t let Arthur ride it in case he got hurt as he was too important for the business. So, he offered it to me.

“By the time Pete Muir took over I had moved to the Central Coast to work and raise a family and only knew that 238 had been retired after a bit of racing, and the Formula Two Pantah was the new weapon. I ﬁgured the 238 bike was just put in a corner of the workshop at Belmore and covered over as it had served its purpose and got Ducati on the map. Frasers started getting serious about racing around this time too.

crazy good – probably a bit of overkill actually, that’s how good they are. For the launch we got to roar around Sydney Motorsport Park, and it was one nger braking for the most part. e parallel twin cylinder CP2 engine is the renowned MT-07 powerplant. It is, of course, the ‘HO’ (High Output) version that I rode during the launch, however you can also get a LAMS version which really opens up a vast market for the R7. e engine has great torque, but for

“Some of my more notable races were at Oran Park in 1980. There was a two hour race at about the ﬁrst or second appearance of the bike but it

the track, it could do with a bit more power for that extra bit of oomph along the straights. On smaller tracks like Wake eld Park, Winton Raceway or Morgan Park it would liven up a lot of litre sportsbikes (in the right hands). To make the R7 more pleasurable, there’s no traction control, no power modes, so for those that think you can just smash the throttle exiting a corner, beware, I got a bit throttle happy at times on the track and had the rear kick out.

If you wanted to compare the R7

with the MT-07, the triple clamps are set 20mm further apart and the o set changed by 5mm, the caster angle is also changed, with all these changes to place more weight over the front wheel. KYB inverted forks help increase rigidity over the MT-07 telescopic units and the R7 rear spring has been beefed up. e frame has been pinched from the MT-07, however a new aluminium centre cover (was resin) is now rigid mounted. is helps increase torsional rigidity around the swingarm pivot. e wheels are similar

CLASSIC RACER

was only a smaller club thing. We had some clutch trouble before the start and had to start from pit lane after the ﬂag dropped. Came all the way through and I think ﬁnished second or third. There was an A or B grader on a Kawasaki 1000 that won it.

“In 1981 we raced it in the Coca Cola 800 where we ﬁnished 24th. It pissed down rain after the start and the race was shorten to 707km due to weather. We did get up to about 12th place before crashing but ﬁnished.

“We had our ﬁrst trip away to Lakeside sometime after this but I crashed in practice on the Saturday and injured my ankle. Drove back from Lismore on the Sunday.

“There was Bathurst also this year but without a result. Had trouble with the Lucas Reiter ignition system. But I was clocked down Conrod Straight at 266km/h. Pretty fast for a bevel. We

broke down probably too much but we were pushing the boundaries of the engine.

“In September 1981 at Oran Park I won about ﬁve races including the Unlimited Invitation. Scored the fastest lap of the day trophy. The time was in the 1m 16secs area. Upgraded to provisional B after this event.

“Somewhere around this period we had a run down at the street circuit (McNamara Park) in Canberra. Did pretty well there, blew an 1100 Suzuki Katana off going up the straight in the heat race for Unlimited B or C but finished 2nd behind another in the final. A lot of people were taking an interest in the bike at that meeting. 238 was flying at this stage.

“After that we ran the bike in the 1982 Gowanloch Formula European series in Queensland, NSW and

Victoria with some good ﬁnishes, including ﬁrst at Surfers in October.

In 1983 we had some issues with the bike, including wrecking the cases when a main bearing failed at Lakeside. My ﬁnal ride on 238 was at Oran Park on 01/05/1983, where I won Unlimited B Grade.

“Pete Muir then started riding the bike for around 12 months or so until Ian Gowanloch built the Formula 2 Pantah which got Pete to A Grade. Pete then went on the race Ducati Pantahs at the Isle of Man.”

AS TIME WENT BY…

When eventually 238 became uncompetitive it lay dormant for many years in the workshop of Arthur Davis’ Desmo HQ at Byron Bay. Desmo HQ mechanic ‘Jungle’ tells how the bike was ‘rescued’ from gathering dust forever. “There

were no brakes, exhaust or carbs on the bike. It was in a terrible state really and I just couldn’t see it lying there anymore. It had to breathe, it deserved to live again. Arthur had loaned the missing parts to people over the years, but they had never been returned, and Arthur couldn’t remember who he’d given them too, it had been that long.

“I had watched that bike at Bathurst and Surfers Paradise raceway when I was much younger and I wanted to get it running again, so people could see and hear it in action, like I did all those years before.

“It took about two years to get it back together and running. Getting the missing parts wasn’t too hard, I had some 40mm carbs at home and made the exhaust myself in the style of the original. Replacing the original race 42mm Malossi carbs was going to be

difﬁcult and expensive, so I had make do with some Dellortos I had lying around.

“I dismantled the 950cc engine to see what state it was in, had the frame straightened and reassembled it all with new parts where needed. Surprisingly the engine was fairly

standard. It had ported heads with ‘bathtub’ combustion chambers, a lightened crank, one off straight cut primary gears and a modiﬁed Honda clutch to stop slippage, and a close ratio gearbox. All this was done back when Ian was running the bike and included alloy plates welded inside

CLASSIC RACER

the cases to stop them cracking, a common problem back then. Sometime in its life a Bosch outrigger ignition had been put on the engine, quite a departure from the standard set up.

“After the bike was completed I rode it at Morgan Park at a Ducati only ride day and it compared very well to my modiﬁed round case road bike, which has lots of performance modiﬁcations. I was surprised at how well it went.

“I’ve been asked to have the bike raced again but it’s too fragile in its current state to be ridden very hard on the racetrack. Getting crankcases and so on is very expensive and difﬁcult. I see the future of the bike as a rolling display, so it can be appreciated by enthusiasts at track days and the like.”

A MODERN BEVEL

Sitting side-by-side with the Ron

Young Engineering 750SS you can see the bikes are worlds apart, maybe not in their original era but in the engineering.

When the RYE bike was ﬁrst raced in classic events in the 1980s it was much like the Gowanloch bike. It’s had to evolve over the years to combat the big capacity Honda Fours - the bike’s main competition.

What does it take to win two Australian Historic titles against the big bore 750/4s? Custom billet cranks, billet cylinders with Nikasil bores, a dry clutch, extremely re-worked heads and camshafts. And really that’s just the start.

“Countless hours have gone into this engine and the rolling chassis, and the engine now gets over 100hp at the rear wheel, unheard of for a bevel back in the 1970s and ’80s,” says Ron.

“I’ve simply tried to use as much modern technology inside the engine as possible. Better engineering, better materials and modern thinking. As much thought goes into making the engine stronger and more reliable as it does into making it perform better. Besides having a good rider on board, being reliably fast is how we’ve won those two titles,” adds Ron. D

U S E D & A B U S E D ANDY STRAPZ SMART NET $57

Irecently shredded one of the original Andy Strapz which I had been using for some three decades. For some reason (advancing senility?) I didn’t fasten it properly, and it spent a couple of hours making the acquaintance of my F 750 GS’s rear wheel and chain. Andy sent me a new one, and included one of his new Smart Nets for me to assess.

The Smart Net is one of Andy’s more weird-looking creations and I was a little concerned that I would be just looking at a tangle of bungee cord when I unpacked it. For once I actually read the instructions, and it turned out to be a snack. Once applied the net settles down into a logical and useful shape.

“The idea was to create a self-adjusting multi fit stretch net to carry almost anything anywhere,” he said. “I reckon we’ve done ok. Pulled in any direction it adjusts itself, it has four versatile, easy fit, adjustable attachment straps and opens on any of 4 corners for easy access.You can quickly slip extra gear under it while fitted.” I did that with my gloves, which I changed several times during the ride.

After a ride down to Melbourne on a test bike, on which I used it to hold a large Kuryakyn tail bag, I can only concur. Frankly, I can’t think of anything else to write about it except that it looked amazingly complicated and was amazingly easy to use.

Andy is also careful to keep up with new opportunities. The new HarleyDavidson Pan Am landed in the Strapz driveway recently, and the owner was more than happy to allow Andy to use it to design one of his soft pannier support frames. The plan was to ensure both rider and pillion have plenty of luggage space. The straps of the Avduro Panniers ﬁt over or under the pillion seat so that the two up capabilities of this mile muncher can be fully utilised.

“The weight of the bags is taken by the seat, so we are able to design them strong but light. We’ve carefully considered stress and impact areas, applying lessons learnt from 15 years of making our support frames here in Victoria. Add a set of those 35 litre a side Avduro Panniers for a luggage system that weighs “a bees dick” (in Andy’s words) more than 4kg, making it one of the lightest yet toughest pannier systems available. D

W H A T S A Y Y O U ?

WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU, the letters are among the most keenly read parts of the magazine. Please try and keep letters down to no more than 300 words. We do reserve the right to cut them and, you do need to provide a name and at least your state, if not, town or suburb. Please address letters to contactus@ausmotorcyclist.com.au or Australian Motorcyclist Magazine, 17 Weeroona Place, Rouse Hill NSW 2155. All opinions published here are those of the writers and we do not vouch for their accuracy or even their sanity.

LETTER OF THE MONTH

AS MUCH AS WE would not recommend you don’t have your pride and joy insured for when the worst happens, Peter does make a point in his letters. For his thoughts, he wins the awesome Motul Chain Pack. Check out the entire Motul range at linkint.com.au Send me your postal address, Peter.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

Hi Stuart.

Just reading the latest edition, as always, a good read and a ﬁne example of quick thinking to come up with something interesting in the face of adversity.

I didn’t think anyone could look terriﬁed while riding at little more than walking pace. Mind you the bike did look a little small for you. Insurance, is it worth it? Reading Shawn’s letter about the loss of his R1 makes me think he might have been better off not insuring the bike.

Hear me out here. I might be over simplifying things here but, if the bike wasn’t insured, he would still own it. I’ve never been flooded or burnt out so what do I know. For me I would have fished the bike out of the mud, drained it, hosed it off and given it to a mate to look after till I was able to clean/fix it up. Hey presto, good quality R1 back on the road and no one, read authorities, knows any difference.

I bought a repairable write off Guzzi V7. Worst decision I’ve ever made.

Red tape and hoops to jump through like you could never imagine. Sure, the owner had it insured and the 6 or 7,000 he got

probably helped buy a replacement but, the 2 grand and the couple of days it took to ﬁx, the bike’s back together and probably better than it was before the accident. Being a write off it will never be registered because I can’t be bothered with the regulatory bullshit. Having said that, it is not mandatory to make an insurance claim if you don’t want to. Selective claiming maybe, like after a total loss (ﬁre/theft or semi-trailer) and keeping quiet if the bike is salvageable.

I understand ﬁres and ﬂoods are emotional and traumatic times so this sort of thinking is the last thing you would be worrying about.

Just thinking. Regards, Peter Glasson.

Hi Peter,

Yes, it was a right laugh the entire day riding the trials bikes.

I understand your points about insurance and hindsight is always a great thing to have, but at the time emotions can take over as you mentioned.

I haven’t heard back from Shawn, so not sure if the R1 was kept. I guess it depends who he was insured with? Cheers, Stuart.

Hi Stuart.

Further to my previous email and as by way of explanation let me add more.

I am currently doing up a GPZ 900 that has obviously been for a swim.

Apart from 3 bent con rods, clearly still running when it went in, some rust etching in the cylinders and rusty oil rings, the bike is in very good condition.

In Victoria if a vehicle has been submerged it is automatically written off, never to be used again, regardless of circumstance

and general condition of vehicle. The previous owner of my GPZ 900 either had no insurance or chose not to claim after the accident. Because no insurance company was involved, I bought a very good bike for very little. The repairs were not huge as I would have stripped it down anyway, it’s what I do. No red tape and bullshit to put it back on the road.

I’m not against insurance, all my bikes are insured. I just think we should not be too quick to think we need to make a claim.

Cheers, Peter Glasson.

Hi Peter,

I wonder if the water shorted out the electrics for the bike to start and cause the bent rods?

Would be good to see if you’ve taken a before and after pic once you’ve ﬁnished ﬁxing it up.

Cheers, Stuart.

CHECK THIS V8, MATE!

Hi Stuart,

I love this magazine so much that I have bought every issue since number one, from my local newsagent. Either I’m mistaken with that comment, or you, and Bear, missed the biggest story in Australian motorcycling history. After a quick read of the Drysdale continued on page 104..

V8, proudly made in Australia by Australians, which in my opinion looks like a dog’s breakfast made in a backyard shed, I had to write to you about another Australian made motorcycle, which I have never seen a word about in this magazine. I have a copy of a rival magazine with that motorcycle on the front cover, and a full story about the bike, including performance specs, and the man himself, inside.

The bike, the PGM 2litre V8. 334 horsepower, with the ability to produce 400hp. Two Yamaha R1 blocks, the suspension, and the exhaust system, are the parts not made in-house.

Paul Maloney was a Moto GP mechanic for 25 years, so knew something about bikes, and always had a dream about a V8 bike. Geelong is the birthplace of this gem. Price was $185000, or thereabouts.

Have I missed an issue of Motorcyclist magazine, or have you not covered the story? Does the rival magazine hold a copyright on the story?

And there are no brass ﬁttings hanging off the side with a hose plugged into it anywhere on the PGM.

Keep up the good work. Regards, Leo Murtas

Hi Leo,

I too like the PGM and no we haven’t run anything on it before, from memory? Maybe a news piece, but never an actual article.

The ‘rival’ magazine you mention is possibly AMCN? They aren’t a rival as we are two different types of magazine. No, they would only hold a copyright on the article they ran, not one that we or anyone else could run with our own words and so on.

Cheers, Stuart.

TO USE, OR NOT TO USE

Dear Stuart and Bear,

As always, I enjoyed reading your latest issue of A.M.

I was interested in your article on Motul products and have a question about Motul tyre repair spray.

I have plugs for my VN 1600 as it has tubeless tyres, and I would back myself to be able to repair a minor puncture.

On the other hand, my T/ Bird has tubed tyres so I purchased a bottle of Motul Tyre repair, however a Mechanic who was working on my bike recommended that I shouldn’t use it as it can leak out of the tube and do damage to the rims.

What is your opinion on this product and what sort of tyre repair kit would you recommend for tubed tyres?

Amazingly enough I have only ever had 2 punctures on my bikes over the years, the ﬁrst one the tyre went ﬂat overnight in the shed so no real issues, the second time I was about 500 Mts from a tyre repair shop. After 8 trips across the Nullarbor, a lap of Tassie and the rest of Australia I am beginning to think that my luck may be running out.

I did note that a couple of issues back Boris raised the possibility of stuffing a flat tyre with dead grass so I thought that you just might be the go-to man at A.M. for some advice regarding repairing a flat tyre. Regards, Peter Simmonds, Margaret River W.A

Hi Peter,

Hope all is well, mate.

Yes, your mechanic is right, that tyre repair spray, gunk, stuff can damage alloy rims/ wheels, and it’s also a right bastard to get off when it comes time to change for a new tyre/

tube and so on.

However, that said, if you were in the middle of nowhere and not able to get the wheel out to repair the tube, tyre spray can get you out of trouble - I guess that’s its main objective. Obviously, the best way is to remove the wheel and put a patch over the hole in the tube, but as we both know, that’s not always possible.

Tyre Pliers do a good tube repair kit, complete with bead breaker and levers, which (with a bit of practice) could allow you to repair a tube without removing the wheel. Their website is - http://www2.tyrepliers. com.au/index.php?route=product/ category&path=62 I got one of their kits years ago and have only had to use it onceﬁngers crossed, touch wood!!!

Boris and his grass story was a laugh. The hours and the drunkenness (if that’s even a word!) to get to a point that you could consider riding on it would have the world rotate a couple of times I reckon. LOL!

Hope this helps.

Cheers, Stuart.

LOVING BIKES FOR LIFE

G’day Stuart/Peter the Bear (or whoever is not out riding),

As you may or may not know, I no longer am able to ride a motorcycle because of Parkinson’s Disease (PD). After being diagnosed with PD back in 2015 I was quite able to ride, even attending and enjoying some four or ﬁve Bear Army manoeuvres. However, in a very dumb act, not bike related, I managed to badly smash-up my right knee necessitating its total replacement by an item comprised of titanium, stainless steel and plastic in late 2019.

While waiting to get back to riding was able to pick-up a used Remus

muffler from a Diavel owner for a pittance, which I knew would only require a suitable hanger and cateliminating link pipe to fit my already much modified Ducati Scrambler. When it all came together with a high-flow air filter also installed, the little beast was fired-up, I just knew that I should have ordered a Db killer from Remus Austria at the same time as the hanger and link pipe. Man it was LOUD! And though I couldn’t take it for a spin

myself, fuelling and throttle was absolutely spot on.

However, by about the middle of 2020 I began to realise that while my age (72) was not a problem. The insidious progress of my PD was telling me that balance and continuing pain from my knee op, general joint stiffness, degraded ﬁne motor skills as well as the ability to concentrate and focus attention on the job at hand, ie, riding the motorcycle, had been gradually worsening. In short, IT WAS

TIME to call time on my life-long love of riding motorcycles, but not my love of motorcycles, or even perhaps writing about them. Long story really short. My Scrambler with about 25K km on it sold on Bikesales for a good fair price to a mature young bloke from QLD who I know will love it.

Cheers, Gil Schilling

PS. Still a great mag. You blokes are the best. Best wishes to Ralph in his ‘retirement’ and welcome to Jeff Ware and Chris Pickett.

Hi Gil,

No, I hadn’t heard about your PD. Sad news, but your love of bikes will keep you ﬁghting strong. All the best, mate.

Cheers, Stuart.

FUEL EXCISE

Hi Stuart,

A very interesting and thoughtprovoking article on the fuel excise issue. I have several thoughts about this…

Firstly, I noticed that you said privacy

continued on page 106..

to improve my biceps

continued from page 105 ...

to improve my biceps

Hi Harry,

to improve my biceps

Hi Harry,

GOODLY

Hi Harry,

I’m sure your legs look ﬁne to the ones that care…your family. As for your bike not being a very good exercise machine, you better get an adventure bike and do some hillclimbs, that will get the muscles burning! - Cheers, Stuart.

COVID 1

issues around tracking journeys are eliminated because GPS location data isn’t to be used. This contradicts the premise that you will be charged a varying rate depending on where you drive. e.g., city CBD… If they don’t track where you are driving, they can’t charge you less or more depending on the route.

Dear Stuart,

COVID 1

Dear Stuart,

Clearly there is a lot of economic downturn as a result of COVID19 and it is further impacting on car sales and I would think motorcycle sales (which I think have been down anyway pre Covid19).

There is nobody much on the roads in the ACT except those who by necessity have to go out for work or food and essentials.

Clearly there is a lot of economic downturn as a result of COVID19 and it is further impacting on car sales and I would think motorcycle sales (which I think have been down anyway pre Covid19).

Assuming they do track where you are driving, it is only a tiny step to examining that data and the speed you have travelled (either instantaneous or average). The next tiny step is a ﬁne in the email or an automatic deduction from your credit card more likely… Call me paranoid if you like but this is the Nanny Country…

Hi Stuart, Firstly, great mag, love it each month. The Kawasaki Versys 1000 S you reviewed in the last issue (97) was great. I was looking at the electronic suspension version last year but you have just sold me on this new model. Not only is it cheaper, which is great for keeping things happy with the “boss”, but as you mentioned you’d be hard pressed to really notice the difference between the two. I like the grey paintwork as well, let’s see how the “Highly Durable Paint” goes in real life. Regards, Mark, QLD

There is nobody much on the roads in the ACT except those who by necessity have to go out for work or food and essentials.

GREAT STUFF

I have been managing to use the bike for essential trips within the conﬁnes of the ACT border but that is a big change from our weekly ride group where we would usually ride out of the ACT to, say, Goulburn or Boorowa or Yass or

Secondly, Australians may be adopting technology, but it is not always by choice. Mobile phones – you can barely function in society if you don’t have a smartphone. Many things you have to do on a daily basis require one, it is just assumed you have one –if you don’t – what kind of weirdo are you?

In 2008 I purchased a V6 RAV4

I haven’t enjoyed a bike mag like this since the old Two Wheels that as a kid I’d eagerly pedal my pushy to the newsagents for every month and read every page once I got it home. I love all bikes and respect anyone

Braidwood. Purpose to ride, have a social get together and have some food whilst out. Now, no such trips. I know there has been panic in terms of buying up of products like loo paper, tissues, hand sanitizer, pasta, canned tomatoes and other products. This panic buying has been ridiculous in my opinion and created a problem of store supply where there was no need to stockpile goods at home. I note that the news reports say that a small supermarket group Drake’s has refused to buy back 150 x 32 roll packs of toilet paper and 150 x 1 ltr sanitizer. I am GLAD they refused a refund as the individual concerned was having about 20 people chase these products and then he attempted to re-sell on E-Bay. Serve the bugger right for being a scungy individual!

Braidwood. Purpose to ride, have a social get together and have some food whilst out. Now, no such trips.

I know there has been panic in terms of buying up of products like loo paper, tissues, hand sanitizer, pasta, canned tomatoes and other products. This panic buying has been ridiculous in my opinion and created a problem of store supply where there was no need to stockpile goods at home. I note that the news reports say that a small supermarket group Drake’s has refused to buy back 150 x 32 roll packs of toilet paper and 150 x 1 ltr sanitizer. I am GLAD they refused a refund as the individual concerned was having about 20 people chase these products and then he attempted to re-sell on E-Bay. Serve the bugger right for being a scungy individual!

Braidwood. Purpose to ride, have a social get together and have some food whilst out. Now, no such trips. I know there has been panic in terms of buying up of products like loo paper, tissues, hand sanitizer, pasta, canned tomatoes and other products. This panic buying has been ridiculous in my opinion and created a problem of store supply where there was no need to stockpile goods at home. I note that the news reports say that a small supermarket group Drake’s has refused to buy back 32 roll packs of toilet paper and 150 x 1 ltr sanitizer. I am GLAD they refused a refund as the individual concerned was having about 20 people chase these products and then he attempted to re-sell on E-Bay. Serve the bugger right for being a scungy individual!

deaths, however this pandemic of COVID

has the potential for totally overwhelming

etc you can catch from shaking someone’s

deaths, however this pandemic of COVID 19 is not normal and as you would know has the potential for totally overwhelming the hospital and medical resources of all countries. I am not aware of any cancers etc you can catch from shaking someone’s hand or touching contaminated surfaces. So, comparing normal worldwide deaths to COVID19 deaths is like trying to compare

So, comparing normal worldwide deaths to COVID19 deaths is like trying to compare

dismissive of the seriousness of Covid19 and smacked a bit of self-centredness in

dismissive of the seriousness of Covid19

dismissive of the seriousness of Covid19 and smacked a bit of self-centredness in

caused you. I like bikes and riding too, but many people have had to alter travel plans etc for the greater good.

All that said, I think your quoting of ﬁgures of the people that die daily from cancer, heart disease, diabetes, mozzies and murders is an unfair comparison! Yes to date the total numbers of COVID19 deaths World Wide would be exceeded by a week’s worth or less perhaps of the

who shares the passion, regardless of their ability or choice of machine. So, I have subscribed, to most of the magazine, but thanks for the spare shit paper at the end :)

All that said, I think your quoting of ﬁgures of the people that die daily from cancer, heart disease, diabetes, mozzies and murders is an unfair comparison! Yes to date the total numbers of COVID19 deaths World Wide would exceeded by a week’s worth or less perhaps of the

to tow the Jayco Eagle – it was an automatic because the vehicle was unavailable in manual. A female work colleague bought the same car at the same time but had to settle for the 2.4 litre 4 cylinder one because she wanted a manual. She still has that car and is struggling to decide what to replace it with. Authorities are always quoting that nobody wants a manual transmission and points to sales ﬁgures to justify that position. You can’t buy what isn’t available and I believe that a

Hugh Jorgan

of one page, personally I love his column (even though I feel he has a ﬁrm grip on his nether region). Be a boring read if we succumb to the lowest common denominator.

large part of the disappearance of manual transmissions has to do with compliance with 5-star safety ratings on the part of manufacturers. It is just too hard to integrate all that electronic shit with a manual.

caused you. I like bikes and riding too, but many people have had to alter travel plans etc for the greater good.

highlighting the inconvenience it has caused you. I like bikes and riding too, but many people have had to alter travel plans etc for the greater good.

I think that all the media reporting though is worrisome for Australian people as it is repeated and repeated and like the bushﬁres you do not get a break from it. Every time you turn on the T.V, look at Facebook, listen to the radio it is in your face or ears.

No name provided

BORIS 2

I try to reduce my listening/reading/ watching to once or twice a day to keep up with developments - more than that is

Stuart, I don’t always agree with what Boris has to say but I am well aware of how he writes to get a reaction. As for the couple of blokes that sent letters in the last issue, I think

I try to reduce my listening/reading/ watching to once or twice a day to keep up with developments - more than that is

We adopt technology in our vehicles because there is no choice. I replaced my RAV4 with a Subaru Forester XT because I reasoned that the turbo would be good for towing the van. That car drives me insane! I have turned off the lane departure warnings and driver assistance lane

keeper because if you can’t keep your car within the lane, you shouldn’t be on the road. I have left on the frontal (Eyesight) system that avoids collisions with things in front of you because I thought it just might save me one day. The problem is the system detects cars turning across your path that have already gone and are not even there to be hit and still jams the brakes on!!! If you attempt to get out of someone’s way by accelerating rather than braking like a Lemming, it will sometimes also jam the brakes on. I don’t want that intervention, it isn’t safety, it is far from it.

All this stuff is there because Governments gave up on trying to train drivers to drive properly decades ago and decided that engineering solutions were preferable, then legislated to move in that direction. Make vehicles uncrashable – sure, how’s that going so far? And don’t start me on autonomous cars – there have been quite a few deaths already.

Even ABS has its limitations. If you ride with skill and experience, you never trigger the ABS. I have had the rear wheel ABS trigger several times on my K1300S – mainly when you hit a tiny bump slowing for an intersection. It is

just a curiosity and makes no difference because without it you might have just heard a little chirp from the rear tyre. The front ABS I have NEVER set off. It is redundant equipment as far as I am concerned.

I have owned several cars with ABS and there is a downhill approach to an intersection near my house that has a rippled surface. Trying to get the Mitsubishi Challenger to stop at the line was very difﬁcult because as soon as you hit the ripples, the ABS came on and the car took 3 times the distance to stop – sending you across the stop line and partially into the intersection. I realise that for unskilled idiot drivers who jam their foot on the brake in the wet and wonder why they collide with things; ABS is a beneﬁt. For me, it is just something else that has to be taken into consideration because any electronic intervention is not perfect.

I’m willing to bet that you can stop quicker without it with all your racetrack experience…

The point of all this is that we adopt technology, but there is little choice involved.

To the issue of electric vehicle uptake, the FACI can quote ﬁgures of

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a 149% increase in sales of PHEV and BEV’s and it sounds impressive, but the reality is that only 5,800 vehicles of a million sold are electric. The percentage is tiny. Of course, this will increase, but the hype about this is terminally annoying. Every time you turn on the TV or look at phone news, you see something about EV’s… The solution to the world’s greenhouse problem is not for everyone to immediately go buy a shiny new EV. There is greenwashing on a huge scale going on. Car makers just want to sell cars – it’s what they do. They have no best wishes for the planet at heart. The carbon footprint of an EV when you purchase it is larger than for the corresponding ICE vehicle. It has lower tailpipe emissions when you start using it, but how green that is depends on how you charge it.

Anyway, thanks for reading this. I think it is inevitable that we will move in this direction for taxing our transport, but if we are not careful, we will end up with the rough end of the pineapple… again… (why are bikes charged the same tolls as cars and who decided that? And Greenslip prices Aaarrrggghhh!)

Regards, Matt Toby

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B E A R T A L E S

JUST THE ONE?

RESEARCH INTO THE WAY humans came to enjoy alcohol is an interesting area of evolutionary science, with some suggesting its roots can be traced back millions of years. One school of thought is that apes and monkeys were lured toward fermenting fruit due to its high nutritional value, and new analysis of urine samples of these socalled “drunken monkeys” offers ﬁrstof-a-kind evidence that they actually metabolize the ethanol within it. In other words, they’re not just boozing for the “nutritional value”; they get pissed as well.

The discovery stems from the longrunning work of biologist Robert Dudley, who has been pondering the relationship between humans and alcohol for more than two decades – as have I, as have I. And who hasn’t, especially in connection with motorcycling?

On the one hand, you’ve got your friend who reckons that he rides better when he’s got a few in him. On the other hand, you have the coppers who say that “research suggests that a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05% means the risk of being involved in a trafﬁc crash is double that of a person who has not been drinking at all” in this document I have found on the WA police website.

They’re both wrong.

Your friend is doubly wrong. First, because any alcohol in your system, even a little bit (although a cognac-ﬁlled praline should be all right) reduces your inhibitions. So if he’s riding with the attitude that booze makes him better, he is going the wrong way about it. It will just feel better. Second, because enough alcohol will reduce not only his inhibitions but also his reaction time and his motor control. So if he has enough alcohol in him, he will certainly be more likely to be involved in a trafﬁc crash. Is that one for the cops?

Yes and no. Their blanket statement that 0.05% doubles the risk of being

On the one hand, you’ve got your friend who reckons that he rides better when he’s got a few in him. On the other hand, you have the coppers

involved in a crash is nonsense. Some people are perfectly able to ride with more alcohol in their blood, while others will be noticeably impaired with less. Even the coppers acknowledge this. They say: “However, it [the level of impairment] can vary signiﬁcantly from person to person.” But if the 0.05% limit doesn’t actually establish the limit above which you should not ride, and even the police agree, what’s the point? What does it do?

It makes it easier to book you.

Back in the old days, your level of impairment due to the ingestion of alcoholic beverages was established by seeing how impaired you were. Revolutionary, right? You were assessed on whether you could get off your bike without falling ﬂat on your face, whether you could walk a straight line or touch the tip of your nose or spell the current prime minister’s name backwards. Whether you could convince the coppers that you were sober enough to ride, in other words.

The guardians of the law were not happy with this, despite it being a meaningful test. It took too much time, it was hard for them to administer, hard to assess in an unbiased way and all too easily challenged in a court of law.

Surely there was a simpler and quicker way that was also less likely

to be challenged. And as so often, our helpful lawmakers fell back on a measure that would be relevant for the average road user. This was not a responsible act. Our lawmakers were not meeting their responsibilities. If it met the conditions that applied to the average, that meant it would not meet those of the riders/drivers more or less affected. In other words, there would be people out there who would be booked despite the fact that they were perfectly able to control their motorcycle, while others would be waved on despite their being a clear and present danger to every dog, pedestrian and other vehicle on the road.

How can you possibly justify this? You are making the roads more dangerous, not less. For what? Well, for the convenience of the police force, that’s for what. They only have to check your breath for their one size ﬁts all breath alcohol limit. And if they ﬁnd that you have more alcohol wafting forth than the law provides for, they can arrest you secure in the knowledge that the magistrate is highly unlikely to let you off.

The important thing here, and be very sure that if you take anything away from this little treatise this is it, is that alcohol affects everyone differently. The law says you must stay under 0.05%, so that sets an upper limit you need to obey even if you think it is too low for you. But that does not mean that you will be ﬁne as long as you stay under it. Establish your own limit, and ﬁnd a way to stick to it no matter what the temptation. That is, in this world, the way of the wise who know that justice is just a word.

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R 1250 GS Rallye

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R 1250 GS Rallye X $29,890

R 1250 GS Exclusive $28,140

R 1250 GS Spezial $31,390

R 1250 GSA $25,490

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R 1250 GSA Exclusive

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001

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NEW BIKE PRICES

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TC Max alloy wheel $7990

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O R I S

WORDS BORIS MIHAILOVIC

BLOODY DODDERERS

HAVING TURNED 60 LAST year, I have been wondering when the dodderer shit might start to set in. It hasn’t yet, and given my general mind-set, it’s unlikely. But as Shakespeare observed: “There are more things in heaven and Earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy”.

I guess there comes a time in every riding career when a rider becomes more risk-averse. That has certainly happened to me. Has it slowed me down? Not really. I can and do still ride as fast as I can when I think I can get away with it. But I have certainly become more circumspect.

I may think twice about overtaking on double-yellows. I may shave back corner-entry speed if I feel the surface is iffy. I choose not to ride in certain areas at night because I see kangaroos leaping out of the bloody trees – even when they’re not. I guess when you belt into one at 180km/h – as I did on my way to Alice Springs a few years back – you start to see them even when they’re not there.

But generally speaking, I’m just as much a red-eyed rat-bastard as I have always been. And I look at motorcycling as the ultimate expression of life – and a dance with death I will eagerly join in every time. Because it has always been that for me, and it always will be. I never took up riding because it was a “safe” thing to do. And none of my friends, both living and dead, did either.

But the dodderers did. And I’m sure you know of whom I speak. In fact, I’m also pretty sure many of you reading this are dodderers. And I just know you’ll start tapping oneﬁngered at your keyboards to make Editor Woodbury aware of your chicken-hearted outrage that his columnist is once again pissing on you from a great and lofty height. Which I am. I always have. For you deserve nothing less. You cheapen and degrade the greatest human pastime ever invented with your mewling and tutting and know-nothing know-it-

allness. Yes, you’re the knobs having coffee with cops. And you’re the knobs condemning speeding and wheelies and burnouts, and kids belting around your suburbs on unmufﬂed dirtbikes at three am. You’re such pieces of crap. You really are.

But please don’t think my contempt is limited to a certain age-group. I’m thinking there are almost as many young dodderers as there are old ones. That’s that whole “let’s make motorcycles more accessible to all” bucket of dicks that got wheeled out a while back. Our beaut risk-averse teenagers now actually think it’s a good idea to start out on gutless little Learner Approved Motorcycles. Their doddering thus becomes their entire riding paradigm.

We are certainly hard-wired to become more risk-averse as we age. It’s not wisdom. Age does not bring wisdom. What it does bring is perspective. And you take longer to heal the older you get. And while you’re healing, you’re not riding. So that’s my motivation there.

But does that mean I won’t send the latest S1000RR to 240-plus for as long as I can if I think I can get away with it? Nope.

Does it mean I will always wear a crash helmet and caparison myself in

every conceivable bit of approvedby-dodderers riding gear? Hell to the nope.

Piss off and mind your own business about what I choose to wear and when I choose to wear it.

You see, it doesn’t actually bother me you wear all the gear all the time. It also doesn’t bother me you always ride at or under the speed limit. And it only vaguely bothers me that you’re actually quite an unskilled rider who refuses to acquire better skills by doing riding courses.

What bothers me is your very vocal condemnation of people like me – and there are more of us than there are of you – and the way we go about our motorcycling business. Which is full tilt – as often as we can get away with it.

To be perfectly honest, getting caught by the ever-more hostile cops is the prime reason I’m picking and choosing my places to properly ride my motorcycle. If I think I can get away with it (and you still can because Australia is a very big country), then I’m certainly going to have a crack at it.

And do you know why, dodderers?

You don’t. It’s a rhetorical question as far as you’re concerned. But I will tell you so you know what you’re missing out on.

It’s the thrill, bitches.

It’s that whole dry-mouthed, churning belly, adrenaline shot you get when you lace together a bunch of corners at furious speed. It’s when your heart leaps into your gob and you forget to breathe because the horizon is rushing towards you at a pace that melts your brain. It’s that irreplaceable feeling of staring death right in its implacable face and telling it “Not

That is what it’s about. That is what it has always been about. I get that you don’t get it. But for the love of God, just shut the hell up about it, and dodder on in respectful silence for those that do. D

IT’S TIME TO VOTE IN AUSTRALIA. IF ONLY OUR POLITICIANS HAD THE INNOVATION THIS BLOKE DOES!

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